More than $1 billion could be spent on infrastructure and transportation projects in Washington, Greene, Fayette and Westmoreland counties over the next 27 years, officials from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) said Monday.

In a public meeting Monday at the Courthouse Square Building, representatives of the SPC said that two marquee projects in the county would be straightening out a curve on a portion of Interstate 70 that has seen several rollover truck crashes, and an adaptive signaling project on Route 19 that will pick up on traffic patterns, coordinate red lights, and allow for smoother traffic flow.

The SPC is the region’s metropolitan planning organization and it works with the 10 counties in the Pittsburgh metropolitan region, sending state and federal funds to infrastructure projects. Right now, the organization is updating “SmartMoves For a Changing Region,” the long-range transportation plan it adopted in 2019, and is hosting public meetings in each of the 10 counties to outline transportation priorities for both the short term and the long run and gather feedback from residents.

The SPC has divided projects into three phases: the first is for projects that are actively in the works and are slated to be carried out between now and 2026; a second, mid-term range, which stretches from 2027 to 2034; and a long-range phase that begins in 2035 and concludes in 2050. Overall, $35 billion will be spent on transportation and infrastructure projects in the region until the midpoint of the century, according to the SPC.

Throughout the region, bridges have been a specific focus, particularly in the wake of the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, according to Ryan Gordon, SPC’s manager of transportation program development.

“Bridges continue to receive the highest degree of funding in the region,” he said.

Dominic D’Andrea, the SPC’s transportation planning director, amplified that point, saying that “we made a lot of progress on our bridges in the last 10 years. But there’s still a lot of work to do.” He added that the number of unsafe bridges has been halved during that time.

For instance, a $25 million project to preserve the Brownsville High Level Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 40 over the Monongahela River, is set for some time between 2027 and 2034. More than $3 million has also been set aside for work on the Donora-Monessen High Level Bridge between 2027 and 2034.

The SPC has scheduled a public meeting for Fayette County at the former Gallatin Bank Building on West Main Street in Uniontown on Wednesday, May 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. In Greene County, the meeting has been set for Thursday, June 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Greene County Career & Technology Center on Zimmerman Drive in Waynesburg.

Additional information is available at www.spcregion.org.

View the full article at observer-reporter.com

As part of its ongoing development of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is hosting a public meeting for Indiana County residents on Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the PA CareerLink Building, 300 Indian Springs Road, White Township.

The meeting is an opportunity for the public to provide their opinions on local, long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges.

SPC is the area’s designated metropolitan planning organization, and works closely with the region’s 10 counties, including Indiana as well as Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The city of Pittsburgh also is recognized as a separate member of SPC.

In June 2019, SPC adopted the region’s official long-range transportation plan, called “Smart Moves for a Changing Region,” which included over $35 billion of regional transportation priorities for the next 25 years.

As part of SPC’s efforts to periodically update the plan, it hosts meetings for the public to learn about the region’s long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges and provide their opinions on these issues.

If a member of the public is not able to attend the meeting in-person, but would still like to provide their perspective on these issues, they are invited to submit their comments during the public comment period (which runs until June 9).

They can submit comments by email at comments@spcregion.org, complete an online form at spcregion.org, send a fax to (412) 391-9160, or mail comments to Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, P.O. Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

View the full article at indianagazette.com

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) held a public meeting Monday to inform county residents on the updates made to the “SmartMoves For A Changing Region” Long Term Plan for infrastructure and what projects are occurring through 2026.

Domenic D’Andrea is the Transportation Planning Director and he states that $660 million worth of projects have been identified to be improved through 2050 with another $1.3 billion worth of projects identified as line items that will allow quick action if necessary.

Angela Saunders, Transportation Planning Manager for PennDot described two projects that are in early engineering development. The first is an adaptive signaling project that will learn traffic patterns and coordinate stop lights on Route 19. The project will run 11.6 miles from the diverging diamond interchange in South Strabane Township, through North Strabane and Peters Townships to the Allegheny County line.

The second project under development is the area of Interstate 70 near Claysville that has seen several rollover crashes from tractor trailers. Plans call for the elimination of a curve and the straightening of I-70 and the replacement of two sister bridges in the vicinity.

According to D’Andrea, these projects are on the short term plan that runs through 2026. The long term plan runs through 2050. Plans for traffic, transportation, economic development and broadband expansion are included in the plan. To view the plan in its entirety and make comment visit the website at www.spcregion.org

View the full article at wpja.com

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — Residents in Washington County are getting a look at the long-term vision for their communities.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission wants to invest in hundreds of transportation and infrastructure projects over the next 25 years.

Long term, the price tag is more than $10 billion.

Monday afternoon in a town hall forum, plans were laid out to the Washington County community to get input that will eventually be included in the final plan.

Domenic D’Andrea is the director of transportation for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. The non-profit has been tasked with laying out long and short-term infrastructure plans in each of its counties in its region to get valuable input from residents. That’s in addition to the 500 to 600 active projects paid for with federal and state money.

Ryan Gordon is the transportation program development manager.

“We have a project in an area, we’re looking at these comments and we’re integrating those comments where we can in the design of the project,” said Gordon.

On the docket, investing in roadways and bridges and installing high-speed broadband internet.

“In Washington, we’re focused on the roadways that are the larger roadway networks. So we’re talking about state route 40, 19, 22,” said Gordon. “The Brownsville high-level bridge is an example. PA 88 over Peters Creek, bigger bridges, also Route 18 over Chartiers Creek, and also I-70 over Railroad Street.”

Installing high-speed broadband internet is also a high priority.

“Broadband as we found out during COVID is a form of infrastructure, a form of connectivity so our transportation plan includes connecting people to opportunity,” said D’Andrea.

The good news for Washington County, it’s already done some legwork to find out where the gaps are, so when funding is approved crews can get to work.

The short-range plan is a $1.9 billion dollar proposal. The long-range plan is $10.7 billion.

There is a 30-day public comment period that is open from now until June 9.

You can do so by clicking here. Information on how to submit comments can be found under the “Get Involved!” tab.

View the full article at wpxi.com

From May 15-21, Individuals that Track their Commute Can Enter to Win Big Prizes.

Today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization, kicked off a one-week long Commuter Challenge—an effort to encourage local residents to take sustainable modes of transportation like carpooling, vanpooling, and biking.

The Commuter Challenge is an initiative of Commute Info, a ride sharing program that offers multiple solutions for individuals or businesses looking to travel in a more green, sustainable way.

“This fun, friendly competition is a way that everyone can take action,” said Anthony Hickton, Manager of the Transportation Demand Management program at Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “Very often, people want to help make our environment and transportation methods cleaner and more sustainable, but they don’t know how to do it on an individual level. Our Commuter Challenge incentives people to try taking public transit, vanpooling, carpooling, biking, or walking when getting to and from places.”

Individuals can participate in the challenge by tracking their eco-friendly commutes online at www.commuteinfo.org. Once individuals enter their commutes, they will be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes, including gift certificates ranging in value from $25 to $400 to places like Giant Eagle, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the Carnegie Science Center. The grand prize is a $400 gift certificate to a local bike shop.

Each trip that individuals enter during this challenge week will count as one entry. Winner(s) will be notified via the email(s) associated with their CommuteInfo account and must respond within five business days to claim their prize. If winners do not reply within the required timeframe another winner will be selected.

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Residents in Washington County will have an opportunity next week to learn more about long-range transportation and infrastructure plans that will impact generations to come, whether it’s building new roads and bridges or installing high-speed broadband internet.

The Southwest Pennsylvania Commission is holding a two-hour town hall meeting at 3 p.m. Monday in the first-floor gathering room of the county’s Courthouse Square office building in Washington that will include a discussion of the region’s 25-year plan, along with a question-and-answer session with the public.

The meetings are being held this spring across the SPC’s 10-county region, and the discussion here will focus solely on Washington County and seek input from local residents.

“We are going to present specific projects that are in our plan for Washington County,” said Domenic D’Andrea, director of transportation planning for SPC. “And I think (the public will) be interested in how we put the plan together, along with the goals, the vision and the strategy in the plan.”

Many projects included in the long-range plan will be discussed during the meeting, which include various roads, bridges and other transit improvements, along with broadband installation in rural areas. The last long-range plan was revealed in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, so this version will offer a vision that shows the need for all people to have access to high-speed internet that became an integral part of daily life, whether it involved virtual learning, remote working or telemedicine for seniors.

“It’s about connecting people to opportunity,” D’Andrea said.

That has been an especially important point of emphasis in Washington County, with officials pushing broadband expansion since early 2022 with the help of federal stimulus money.

“I don’t think you can have a conversation about infrastructure without including broadband,” Washington County Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said.

Representatives with the state Department of Transportation, along with local and county leaders like Irey Vaughan, will also be attending the town hall to offer their thoughts and listen to feedback from the community.

“This is an opportunity for our residents to come together and detail their vision for the county to see if we can include some of their wishes into planning by the regional Southwest Pennsylvania Commission,” she said.

While the long-range plan is constantly evolving with updates every five years, this one has also been assisted by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure bill passed in 2021 that is infusing more than a trillion dollars into various projects across the country. The five-year spending plan within the infrastructure bill has had a ripple effect on current projects and future plans.

“There are bridges on this long-range plan that would not have been funded without the (infrastructure bill),” said Ryan Gordon, manager of transportation program development at SPC.

The long-range plan can be found on the SPC’s website at www.spcregion.org, and there is a 30-day public comment period open from now until June 9. Information on how to submit comments can be found on the SPC’s website under the “Get Involved!” tab.

“I think it’s an excellent opportunity to see how tax dollars at both the federal and state level are being planned for and being allocated and programmed to future projects,” Gordon said. “Those projects will help the region, they’ll help Washington County and they might be in your backyard.”

Similar meetings will be held in Fayette County at 5:30 p.m. May 31 at the former Gallatin Bank building at 2 W. Main St. in Uniontown, and then later in Greene County at 5 p.m. June 1 at the Greene County Career & Technology Center.

View the full article at observer-reporter.com

As part of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) that the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) manages, the organization is hosting a public meeting for Beaver County residents on Thursday, May 11, so they can provide their opinions on local, long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is the region’s designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and works closely with the ten counties, including Beaver County, located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. In June 2019, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission adopted the region’s official long-range transportation plan called SmartMoves for a Changing Region, which included over $35 billion for the region’s transportation priorities over 25 years. As part of the organization’s efforts to periodically update the plan, it hosts meetings for the public to learn about our region’s long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges and provide their opinions on these issues.

If a member of the public is not able to attend the meeting, but would still like to provide their opinion on a transportation and/or infrastructure issue that they would like to see addressed, they are invited to submit their comments during the public comment period which runs from May 11-June 9. Members of the public can submit their comments by email at comments@spcregion.org, completing an online form, by fax at 412-391-9160, or mailing comments to Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at PO Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

WHEN:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 2 p.m.

WHO:
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission staff members
Beaver County officials
PennDOT representatives

WHERE:
Virtual (click the link below to access the meeting)
https://spcregion.webex.com/spcregion/j.php?MTID=mc0b999ea1c4abb6d0ba16a29b111aa96

View the full article at beavercountyradio.com

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Rich Negrin joined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz, PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli, and local government partners last week to highlight the partnership between federal, state, and local governments to fight climate change.

Pennsylvania recently opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The program provides grants to state and local government entities to develop climate action plans and makes them eligible for grants from the $4.6 billion pool established by the IRA and administered by the EPA.

“We are here to acknowledge the great partnerships we have to protect Pennsylvania’s clean air and pure water. Rising to meet the climate challenge is more than just a state government problem, or a federal government problem, or a local government problem,” said Negrin. “All climate change is local. It is an all of the above problem and needs an all of the above solution, and it is so important to have strong partners at the federal and local level all committing to fight climate change alongside us.”

“Climate change is not a problem that sprang up overnight and is surely not one that will be fixed in a day,” said Ortiz. “Addressing the climate crisis takes real plans, real dollars, real will, and real work – and Pennsylvania has all of the above.”

“PENNVEST is looking forward making investments into reducing climate change. Today is another step in the process – helping communities across Pennsylvania implement their own climate plans to lower emissions and mitigate and adapt to climate change,” said Regli. “Pennsylvania has always been an industrial leader, with smart investments we can again lead the way on climate change and carbon pollution reduction.”

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission have all opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. Pennsylvania will receive up to a $3 million planning grant through the program; the regional planning commissions will receive up to $1 million planning grants.

“Greater Philadelphia is committed to attaining net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and preparing our communities for the impacts of climate change,” said Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Ariella Maron. “The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant will enable us to develop a plan that will guide future policy and investment decisions that are both equitable and sustainable. DVRPC is proud to lead this planning effort for our region.”

“We have a monumental opportunity to protect and improve our land, water and air. We must ensure that quality and availability of these resources is available now and into the future. Addressing our climate crisis is going to require the kind of planning and response that can only be accomplished through a multi-governmental partnership. It’s a practical, innovative path to the best possible outcomes,” said Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley.

View the full article at latrobebulletinnews.com

Residents of Beaver County will be able to have their voices heard this week as one local commission opens the comment period for infrastructure projects in the area.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) has announced that they will hold a virtual meeting for county residents to have their comments heard on local transportation and infrastructure improvement projects at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Residents can access the meeting at https://www.spcregion.org/events/public-participation-panel-beaver-county/ during the scheduled time to offer their feedback.

The comment period, which is a part of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, will serve as a way to gain residents’ input and adjust certain parts of the $35 billion infrastructure plan that will continue to make changes to some of the plans for Beaver County’s roadways.

The SPC has held similar events over the past year as well, offering some suggestions for local projects and transportation improvements.

If residents are unable to attend the meeting but still wish to provide opinions, the SPC is inviting the public to comment on potential infrastructure issues in writing from May 11 to June 9. According to the organization, comments can be summited via email at comments@spcregion.org, completing an online form on their website, faxing their opinions to 412-391-9160 or by mailing comments to Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at PO Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

View the full article at timesonline.com

Just ahead of Earth Day, state officials said Pennsylvania will use federal money to tackle climate change.

The Climate Reduction Pollution Grants will help county and municipal officials reach emissions reduction goals set for 2030 and beyond, the Department of Environmental Protection said.

“All climate change is local,” said Rich Negrin, the department’s acting secretary. “It is an all of the above problem and needs an all of the above solution, and it is so important to have strong partners at the federal and local level all committing to fight climate change alongside us.”

Pennsylvania will tap into $3 million offered through the program – established as part of the federal infrastructure bill – to assist states with any stage of planning meant to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will receive up to $1 million each as the first participants in the program.

“We have a monumental opportunity to protect and improve our land, water and air,” said Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. “We must ensure that quality and availability of these resources is available now and into the future.”

Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. According to the EPA, the Delaware Valley is shrinking, and the Delaware River will continue rising over the next century – a combination that will result in increased flooding throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.

In addition to severe weather and increased temperature, state officials say diminishing air quality harms vulnerable populations like children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular diseases – and even wildlife.

Few issues divide the legislature the way climate change does, particularly when it comes to cutting carbon emissions. As Pennsylvania’s future participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative hangs in the balance, many Republican lawmakers worry the carbon price it imposes on energy producers will just spike utility costs for residents at a time when they can least afford it.

Cost aside, they say, switching from coal to natural gas already lowered emissions significantly over the last decade. They believe taxing power generators will only undermine Pennsylvania’s role as the region’s top energy exporter while doing nothing to prevent carbon emissions from blowing across the border from neighboring states.

Democrats say the “fearmongering” only serves the natural gas industry – arguably the state’s most lucrative in recent years – and distracts from the true threat climate change poses on communities and public health.

PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli offered a more optimistic outlook.

“Pennsylvania has always been an industrial leader, with smart investments we can again lead the way on climate change and carbon pollution reduction,” he said.

EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz shared this sense of hopefulness about the work ahead.

“Climate change is not a problem that sprang up overnight and is surely not one that will be fixed in a day,” he said. “Addressing the climate crisis takes real plans, real dollars, real will, and real work – and Pennsylvania has all of the above.”

Read the full article at thecentersquare.com