As of Monday June 28^th, the 2021 SPC
Transportation Alternatives Funding Program is open to qualified applicants. The Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program
provides funding for programs and projects defined as transportation
alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities;
infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public
transportation and enhanced mobility; environmental mitigation; recreational
trail program projects; and, safe routes to school projects. The SPC region
receives a yearly sub-allocation of approximately $1.8 million to award to
eligible projects.

Prospective project
sponsors should submit a short pre-application by August 16, 2021. The full
application will be due on October 15, 2021. The SPC TA program
pre-application, application, and program guidance (which includes submission
instructions) is available on the SPC website at https://www.spcregion.org/funding-programs/
. The site also includes a link to the concurrent but separate PennDOT
administered statewide TA program. Any questions can be directed to Lillian
Gabreski at lgabreski@spcregion.org.

On Friday June 4th at 9am SPC will host the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee for a public hearing on reforms and investments to advance transportation innovations in Pennsylvania. In person attendance limited to media only but all others can attend virtually:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=S&Code=19

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission during their April 26th board meeting unanimously approved the Draft 2021 Public Participation Plan which is an update to the 2015 Public Participation Plan. The approved 2021 Public Participation Plan provides an outline of the tools and techniques we use to inform and engage the public throughout our transportation planning and programming processes.

Follow the link below to view the update plan:

DCED’s Multimodal Transportation Fund application period is open and projects may be submitted up until July 31, 2021. Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development.

For more information visit: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/multimodal-transportation-fund

The U.S. Census Bureau has released the latest county-level population data. These population estimates, plus the components of population change, are updated annually for all U.S. counties.

Our Data Team has created a helpful infographic with this data, highlighting the 2019-2020 change in total population, plus natural increase and net migration, for the US, Pennsylvania, and member counties in the SPC region.

Visit our SPC Regional Data Center landing page to learn more!

Additions and updates to the SPC Regional Data Center are made as new data become available. Data files posted to the Regional Data Center are free for download. Customized data reports are available by request.

#CensusData #PopulationEstimates #SPCRegion

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Technical Proposals for the Development of a Connectivity Roadmap for Southwestern Pennsylvania. SPC is requesting that responding firms or teams also submit a Statement of Qualifications for Southwestern Pennsylvania Connectivity Roadmap Support Services. The intent is to award one contract to a qualified firm or team of firms for completion of the combined Scope of Work.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) / Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be released by SPC on May 5, 2021. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion.org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Kristin Baum at kbaum@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFP/RFQ document. Proposal packages are due on June 4, 2021.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is hosting an on-demand virtual public meeting and comment period for a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study exploring sustainable transportation funding options. The public meeting is accessible online at all hours of the day through June 1, 2021, at www.penndot.gov/funding. The PEL study, in support of the PennDOT Pathways program, is being conducted to identify near- and long-term alternative funding solutions and establish a methodology for their evaluation.

In February, PennDOT announced candidate bridge projects being considered as a part of the Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership (P3) Initiative. This initiative, the first of the PennDOT Pathways Program, was formed in response to one of the early findings of the PEL study – that tolling of major bridges in need of replacement or rehabilitation is a potentially viable near-term funding solution. The draft PEL study report is currently available for review and comment and identifies additional medium- to long-term funding alternatives that could be considered for implementation.

PennDOT encourages the public to review the materials presented in the virtual meeting and to provide comments, which will be accepted throughout the duration of the meeting. Online comments can be submitted directly from the meeting website or via other comment submission methods, including:

• Email: PennDOTPathways@pa.gov
• Hotline: 717-325-6129

For more information about the PennDOT Pathways program, visit www.penndot.gov/funding.

The Transportation Revenue Options Commission (TROC), which was established by Governor Tom Wolf’s Executive Order on March 12, today received a briefing on the draft PEL study. When completed, the final PEL study will be provided to the TROC.

PennDOT will make all reasonable modifications to policies, programs, and documents to ensure that people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. In accordance with Governor Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the Virtual Public Meeting will be held online only.

To request assistance to participate in the virtual public meeting or review the PEL study, please contact PennDOT’s Communications Office by emailing dotcomm@pa.gov or calling 717-783-8800 from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM. PennDOT will not place a surcharge on an individual with a disability or those with limited English proficiency to cover the costs of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy. If you have other questions or challenges, please contact PennDOT’s Bureau of Equal Opportunity to request help by emailing RA-penndoteoreports@pa.gov or calling 1-800-468-4201; TTY (711).

Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts at www.penndot.gov/news or choose a region under “Regional Offices.” Information about the state’s infrastructure and results the department is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at www.penndot.gov/results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.

Virtual public meeting available until June 1

Greene County commissioners recently said funding for 25 different local businesses has been approved through two separate initiatives geared to assist businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Commissioner Mike Belding said Monday the businesses applied earlier this year for the Forgivable Advance for Small Business Assistance (FASBA) program or the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP).

“FASBA and CHIRP are programs for small businesses to recover some COVID-related financial impacts,” Belding said.

Commissioners also announced nine area businesses were awarded grant funding through CHIRP, with seven of the businesses receiving $50,000 and two receiving $5,000.

In February, commissioners voted to allocate funds for the CHIRP program, which has allocated $145 million in funding assistance to the hospitality industry businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program requires counties to establish grant programs for eligible businesses.

Applications for CHIRP funding were made available for businesses in early March, through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

Belding said funding is still available for businesses to apply for CHIRP and FASBA funding. For more information, contact the Greene County Department of Economic Development.

Read the full article at Observer-Reporter

Regional Roundabout Screening Study Consultant Services RFP

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Technical Proposals and Price Proposals (together, the Proposal package) for the preparation of a Regional Roundabout Screening Study. The selected firm or team of firms will assist SPC with completing a study that will identify potential roundabout locations in the region that will enhance safety.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) was released by SPC on March 24, 2021. Copies may be downloaded below, via the SPC RFP page, or may be obtained by e-mail request to Domenic D’Andrea at ddandrea@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFP document. Proposal packages are due on April 23, 2021.

The celebration of National Agriculture Week is organized each year by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), a nonprofit organization comprised of leaders in the agriculture, food and fiber communities dedicated to increasing public awareness of agriculture’s vital role in modern society. Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis, and is increasingly contributing to fuel and other bio-products. National Agriculture Day is celebrated on March 23, 2021. On this day, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America gather to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by American agriculture.

The Census of Agriculture is conducted once every five years by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of
U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Data is collected
regarding land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production
practices, income and expenditures. The next Census of Agriculture will be
conducted in 2022.

To
recognize the essential contributions of agriculture to the 10-county region,
SPC developed county-level infographics to showcase key agricultural statistics
derived from the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The infographics highlight
farmland acreage, the number of farms and workers, the percent of farmland
consisting of crops, the percent of farms by size and by value of sales, the
percent of farm producers by age, the top five farm animals, and the five most
prevalent harvested crops for each county in the SPC region.

These infographics have been posted as Data Tidbits content to SPC’s Regional Data Center. Please check them out!

County Level Infographics

SPC
salutes the men and women who contribute daily to our regional prosperity!

#AgWeek