Category: News

By Mason Fish
SPC
10/13/2026

By the time a piece of equipment bound for the Homer City Energy Campus reaches a road in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the majority of its journey is already behind it. 

The equipment reflects a supply chain that stretches far beyond our region. Turbine components began their journey at GE Vernova’s facility in France, crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Mobile, AL, and then entered the nation’s inland waterway system. From Mobile, equipment traveled by barge through the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway, Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Allegheny River before reaching Schenley in Armstrong County. Only then can the “homestretch” of the journey finally begin. 

By Mason Fish
SPC
8/31/2026

Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about how transportation decisions are made. We have places to go, and we find a way to get there; whether that’s behind the wheel of a car, on a bus, or on a bike. 

Behind those everyday trips is a much larger system, supported by programs and investments that most people never have much of a reason to think about. One of those programs is The Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program. 

By Mason Fish
SPC
7/29/2026

On July 17, a massive gathering of experts from across Southwestern Pennsylvania entered Washington County with a clear shared task: help lock in the vision and goals for the region’s next Long Range Plan. 

SPC’s Policy Development Conference marked the end of this cycle’s expert-driven stretch of work on Built to Thrive: The Long Range Plan for Southwestern PA. These sessions were reserved for specialists from a variety of organizations including PennDOT, Pittsburgh Regional Transit and other partner agencies. 

By Mason Fish
SPC
6/22/2026

Earlier this month, SPC Commissioners spent multiple days in the state capital meeting face-to-face with state policymakers, agency secretaries, and legislative leaders. The trip has become an annual event for the Commission, but for the counties and communities represented in the room, the lasting impact is anything but routine. 

By Mason Fish
SPC
5/29/2026

Every few years, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) works through a planning process that quietly shapes how people move throughout the region. Roads are repaired. Bridges get replaced. Bus fleets get updated. The decisions made during this cycle have ripple effects that can last years, and right now residents have had an opportunity to be a direct part of it.

By Mason Fish
SPC
4/30/2026

On her first morning at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), Rena Liu-Belshe would never have predicted she would still be there 26 years later.

By Mason Fish
SPC
3/31/2026

We are now less than 25 days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 24 to 26, and with hundreds of thousands of fans expected to descend on the city, getting there smartly could be just as important as getting there at all.

By Mason Fish
SPC
2/27/2026

Earlier this month, a series of wrong-way crashes in our region captured the attention and concern of residents all across Southwestern Pennsylvania. When these incidents make headlines, they can cause urgent questions from people wondering how these types of crashes happen, and what we can do to stop them. This period also offers us an opportunity to highlight an important internal effort in the 2025 Regional Safety Action Plan. 

By Mason Fish
SPC
1/30/2026

On the surface, long range planning can often be perceived as distant or overly technical. However, current decisions regarding jobs, transportation, and infrastructure have a direct impact on daily life in Southwestern Pennsylvania. These choices influence residents’ access to employment, business growth, and the long-term desirability of communities.