The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding Greene County $946,083 in grant funding to support sidewalk and pedestrian safety improvements as part of the Waynesburg Commons Multimodal Improvement Project. This project will make improvements around Commons Park near Waynesburg University safer for students and community residents that utilize the area.
“The Waynesburg Commons Multimodal Improvement Project will enhance the livelihood of students that attend Waynesburg University and local residents that frequent the park,” said Jared Edgreen, Chairman of the Greene County Commissioners. “This park is a vital part of our community, and we want to ensure that anyone walking in or near it has safe sidewalks to use. We are grateful for SPC’s funding, as it will go a long way to ensuring this project comes to its full fruition.”
SPC recently completed the selection process for its discretionary competitive grant program which selects certain projects in the region to receive federal funding. The organization has a selection committee that reviews grant applications submitted from counties and municipalities within its coverage area. The grant applications are then competitively reviewed and scored to ensure that these projects adhere to federal standards.
As the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Local Development District (LDD), and Economic Development District (EDD), SPC receives an allotment of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation that it can award to entities that have improvement projects which qualify under three areas: Congestion Mitigation Air Quality program (CMAQ), Carbon Reduction program (CRP), and the Transportation Alternatives Set Aside (TASA) program.
The CMAQ and CRP programs accept applications from counties and municipalities that have projects which will help to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Eligible initiatives under these two programs can include pedestrian and bicycle facility projects, transit improvement programs, electric vehicles and charging stations, congestion reduction and traffic flow improvements, and diesel engine retrofitting/replacements. The TASA program accepts applications from counties and municipalities for projects that support transportation alternatives, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improving access to public transportation, enhanced mobility, recreational trails, safe routes to schools, and environmental mitigation.
“Increasing safety for pedestrians is one of our organization’s priorities and this funding will directly impact local residents,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “When we create environments that foster mechanisms which protect and keep residents safe during their travels, communities have the opportunity to thrive.”
Initiatives like the Waynesburg Commons Multimodal Improvement Project reflect the vision of SPC’s Long Range Transportation Plan which strives to ensure that the region is connected and has multimodal mobility for all. It also aligns with SPC’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Strategic Action Plan. TDM focuses on the decisions that people and businesses make every day about travel, and involves providing travelers with information, options, and incentives that expand travel choices.
Media Inquiries: Caitlin O’Connor
Cell: 412-719-5366
coconnor@spcregion.org
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About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), local development district (LDD), and economic development district (EDD) serving 10 counties. The organization’s coverage area includes Allegheny including the City of Pittsburgh, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. It is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic/workforce development priorities for the region.
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