The Focus 81 Committee was convened in Spring 2003 by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) to address transportation concerns on Interstate 81 within a targeted corridor stretching from the Nanticoke (Exit 164) in Luzerne County to the Waverly Exit (Exit 197) in Lackawanna County, a span of approximately thirty-three miles. The Focus 81 corridor was recently expanded to include all of the Lackawanna, Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties.
Goals of the Committee include: provide input on measures to reduce congestion throughout the targeted corridor; offer input regarding the design and scope of efforts to increase the capacity of the targeted corridor; develop educational material and programs to promote safety throughout the targeted corridor; assist in the identification of funds for corridor expansion. The Focus 81 tag line is “Improve Safety & Reduce Congestion”. Operating expenses of the Focus 81 Committee are funded through Lackawanna and Luzerne counties via the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).