County commissioners from Fayette and Greene counties were elected to the board of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites will serve as the board’s vice chairman, while Greene County COmmissioner Betsy McClure will serve as the secretary-treasurer.

Both terms are for two years.

The SPC is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic and workforce development priorities for the region. The agency represents 10 counties, including Fayette, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland and Allegheny.

The board’s new officers will focus on workforce and economic development, transportation, planning and initiatives like broadband expansion and expanding pedestrian and bicycle trails in the region, according to an SPC release.

“I am excited to work with my fellow officers and board members on initiatives that will benefit Fayette County residents and the entire region,” said Vicites. “We’ve made a lot of tangible progress in recent years on issues like economic investments and the expansion of trails, but there is still more work to do and we are ready for it.”

McClure also expressed excitement for her new role.

“Whether it is workforce development, increased access to transportation options, or outdoor recreational sites that spur local economies, our entire region is on the precipice of exciting growth,” she said.

Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian was elected the board’s chairman, and will also serve a two-year term.

View the full article at heraldstandard.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) board this week elected Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian to serve as Chair, Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites to serve as Vice-Chair, and Greene County Commissioner Betsy McClure to serve as Secretary-Treasurer. Commissioners Fabian, Vicites, and McClure were elected by their fellow board members to these positions, and will serve a two-year term.

The board’s new officers will shape the commission’s work for the next several years and intend to focus on workforce and economic development, transportation planning, and other initiatives like investments in broadband, water resources, attracting business investments, and expanding pedestrian and bicycle trails throughout the region.

“Together, Commissioners Fabian, Vicites, and McClure make a dynamic team, and we are fortunate to have their leadership,” Executive Director of the SPC Rich Fitzgerald said.

“Our organization functions as a consensus builder and we work in a collaborative manner in order to support the needs of the entire region. We bring entities from the public and private sectors together to discuss wide-ranging issues that impact our 10 counties. By having Armstrong, Fayette, and Greene counties at the helm of our Board, I know that the Commissioners will elevate the priorities of all of our urban, suburban, and rural communities.”

Commissioner Fabian has served as County Commissioner since 2016. During his time as Commissioner, he has increased the County’s operating reserve fund from $600,000 to $8 million and led efforts to significantly change the County’s pension funds from $60 million to $85 million. Additionally, he has worked diligently to reduce the County’s debt by 20 percent since he was first elected. Prior to serving as County Commissioner, Fabian was a Supervisor in Manor Township. Before entering public serve, he spent more than 15 years as an outpatient and family therapist at the Family Counseling Center of Armstrong County where he was responsible for providing counseling to patients and creating individualized treatment plans. He has his Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Gannon University and his Master’s degree in Community Counseling from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“I cannot wait to hit the ground running and serve the Board in this leadership role,” Chair of the SPC Pat Fabian said. “The entire region is well-positioned to work collectively as a team with one voice on major issues like job creation and broadband connectivity. While our approach to challenges may, at times, be different, we all have one goal—and that is to improve the overall quality of life for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s residents. We are able to advocate better for them when we all work together.”

Commissioner Vicites has served as Fayette County Commissioner two separate times. The Commissioner first served County residents from 1996 to 2011 and then again from 2016 till the present day. He was born and raised in Uniontown and has worked in county government for over 30 years. Prior to serving as County Commissioner, Vicites was the Fayette County Recycling Coordinator and started the Hard to Recycle Events at the County’s Fairgrounds, which has continued for over 30 years.

As County Commissioner, he has been instrumental in creating and retaining over 10,000 jobs and securing over $200 million in economic and infrastructure projects for Fayette County residents. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources from St. Francis University.

“I am excited to work with my fellow officers and board members on initiatives that will benefit Fayette County residents and the entire region,” Vice-Chair of the SPC Vince Vicites said. “We’ve made a lot of tangible progress in recent years on issues like economic investments and the expansion of trails, but there is still more work to do and we are ready for it.”

Commissioner McClure has served as Greene County Commissioner since 2020. She has been a lifelong resident of Greene County and prior to serving as County Commissioner, McClure was a registered nurse for over 25 years. As Commissioner, McClure has been focused on making the county a better place to live and work.

She is deeply committed to attracting businesses and industry development that strengthens the economic livelihood of Greene County, while ensuring that residents are still able to maintain the advantages of living in a rural community. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and her Master’s degree in Education from California University of Pennsylvania.

“I am looking forward to serving in this new role, and advocating for the needs of our residents,” Secretary-Treasurer of the SPC Betsy McClure said.

“Whether it is workforce development, increased access to transportation options, or outdoor recreational sites that spur local economies, our entire region is on the precipice of exciting growth.”

SPC employs 50 individuals that work on behalf the 10 county region in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), local development district (LDD), and economic development district (EDA), the organization works to keep the region connected and moving forward. As part of this work, SPC helps counties, cities, municipalities and townships access approximately $39 billion in state and federal transportation and economic development funding that has been allocated to the region through 2045.

View the full article at: leadertimes.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission announced $21.3 million in discretionary grants Wednesday that will help fund Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s first micro transit project, improve road safety along three Pittsburgh roadways, nearly double the size of Bike Pittsburgh’s rental program and expand the trail network in southwestern suburbs in Allegheny County.

The commission, which sets priorities for federal transportation projects in a 10-county region, gets money from the federal Department of Transportation every year to fund projects in three categories. This year, the agency awarded funds to seven projects in two categories: two trail projects under the Transportation Alternatives Set Aside Program and the others under the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program.

All of the grants will be available beginning in 2025.

Here’s a breakdown of the projects that were funded:

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

The agency will receive two grants, $3.9 million to help start its first micro transit service and $7.4 million to help pay for stations between Squirrel Hill and Oakland that were left out of its Bus Rapid Transit project.

Spokesman Adam Brandolph said the agency is “super excited” to get funding for the micro transit project, which is designed to connect unserved local communities with each other and with PRT’s main service corridors. That type of service was one of the key recommendations in the agency’s NEXTransit long-range plan adopted in 2021.

The grant will help to pay for the first step of the project, determining where to try micro transit and how to deliver it. The agency will consider two locations recommended in the long-range plan, the Tarentum-Brackenridge-Harrison area in the Allegheny Valley and the McKeesport-Versailles area in the Monongahela Valley.

During the planning stage, the agency will hold public meetings in both areas to determine the need and types of service residents want. There could be several options, including on-demand service or regular routes using full-size buses or smaller vehicles, possibly zero-emission vehicles.

“The $3.9 million is going to help us go to the communities and help us determine what those plans might look like,” Brandolph said. “There’s still a lot we have to figure out about how it will work.

“One thing is it will certainly connect to existing routes.”

Brandolph stressed that the first program will be a pilot project, but if it is successful the agency plans to try it elsewhere. The overall project is expected to cost $11.5 million.

The grant for BRT will allow the agency to restore the Squirrel Hill wing to its University Line that will connect Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland with exclusive bus lanes to improve reliability. Construction began on the $291 million project in September, but PRT eliminated extensions to Squirrel Hill and Highland Park when federal officials questioned whether it had included enough money to cover unexpected costs during construction.

The grant will allow the agency to build six stations in the 1.6-mile stretch between Bellefield Avenue in Oakland and Forbes and Murray avenues in Squirrel Hill, Brandolph said. The total cost of the project, which won’t begin until the main University Line is finished in 2026, is expected to be about $15 million.

The agency continues to look for funding for the Highland Park branch, Brandolph said.

Pittsburgh road projects

These are the road projects funded in Pittsburgh:

• $3.6 million for improvements to Brownsville Road in the South Hills, including four signalized intersections including Maytide  Street, Biscayne Drive-Becks Run Road and Nobles Lane. The signals will include audible crossing instructions, better nighttime lighting, and highly visible crosswalks, some of which will be raised.
• $1.5 million to improve signal timing on East Ohio Street on the North Side to reduce congestion and improve air quality from Cedar Avenue to Chestnut Street. Other improvements will include raised crosswalks and signals that detect pedestrians and bicyclists.
• $1.5 million to add bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Negley Avenue in East Liberty between Friendship Avenue and Broad Street. The work will include adding a speed table between Friendship and Coral Street to curb speeding near the bike lane crossing, highly visual crosswalks, new traffic signals and a bumpout at Penn Avenue and Negley so pedestrians have a shorter distance to cross the street.
  Bike Pittsburgh

Bike Share Pittsburgh’s $2.1 million grant is part of a larger capital project that will allow the agency to nearly double its network of regular and electric-assist rental bikes and stations and extend the service to new areas, said Executive Director David White.

The agency plans to establish 50 new rental stations and buy another 500 bikes, two-thirds of them electric-assist and the rest pedal bikes. In addition to adding more stations in Larimer, Homewood and Oakland, Bike Pittsburgh will move into new neighborhoods such as Lincoln-Lemington, Belmar, Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze, Manchester, California Kirkbride, and Highland Park.

White said the agency will conduct community outreach in the neighborhoods to finalize the exact locations of the new stations, some of which could be installed beginning next year.

Trails

A $1 million grant will help Allegheny County Redevelopment Authority extend the Panhandle Trail by 3 miles from Collier to the park-and-ride lot in Carnegie. That is a portion of the inactive Pittsburgh & Ohio Central rail line.

The county completed a feasibility study for the extension in 2022.

The trail currently runs from Walkers Mill Station in Collier through Washington County to the Harmony Creek parking area in West Virginia.

In South Fayette, the township will use its $800,000 grant to help pay for a new trail system through the 190-acre Fairview Park, said Paula Willis, township parks and recreation director.

The trail system in the park will connect with nature trails and other trails outside the park, Willis said. The township now has about 90% of the funding for the project and has started design of the 10-foot-wide multi-modal park trails.

The park was established at the former site of Mayview State Hospital more than 30 years ago.

View the full article at unionprogress.com.

Armstrong County officials were optimistic last week that having one of their own as the chairman for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission can only be a good thing for the county over the next two years.

During their meeting on March 7, Armstrong County Commissioners John Strate, Anthony Shea and Pat Fabian announced that Fabian was recently elected as chairman of the regional planning organization.

Fabian, who has served as the vice chairman of SPC for the past two years, said that the commission oversees how federal and state transportation dollars are spent in the region, which includes 10 counties and the City of Pittsburgh.

Strate said having someone on the SPC board from Armstrong County is a very good thing.

In a press release from the SPC, it was announced that in addition to Fabian serving as chairman, Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites will serve as vice chairman, and Greene County Commissioner Betsy McClure will serve as secretary/treasurer.

“The board’s new officers will shape the commission’s work for the next several years and intend to focus on workforce and economic development, transportation planning, and other initiatives like investments in broadband, water resources, attracting business investments, and expanding pedestrian and bicycle trails throughout the region,” the press release states.

“Together, Commissioners Fabian, Vicites and McClure make a dynamic team, and we are fortunate to have their leadership,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “Our organization functions as a consensus builder and we work in a collaborative manner in order to support the needs of the entire region. We bring entities from the public and private sectors together to discuss wide-ranging issues that impact our 10 counties. By having Armstrong, Fayette and Greene counties at the helm of our board, I know that the commissioners will elevate the priorities of all of our urban, suburban and rural communities.”

During his time as commissioner since 2016, Fabian has increased the county’s operating reserve fund from $600,000 to $8 million and led efforts to significantly change the county’s pension funds from $60 million to $85 million. Additionally, he has worked to reduce the county’s debt by 20 percent since he was first elected.

Prior to serving as county commissioner, Fabian was a supervisor in Manor Township. Before entering public service, he spent more than 15 years as an outpatient and family therapist at the Family Counseling Center of Armstrong County where he was responsible for providing counseling to patients and creating individualized treatment plans. He has his bachelor’s degree in special education from Gannon University and a master’s degree in community counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“I cannot wait to hit the ground running and serve the board in this leadership role,” Fabian said. “The entire region is well-positioned to work collectively as a team with one voice on major issues like job creation and broadband connectivity. While our approach to challenges may, at times, be different, we all have one goal — and that is to improve the overall quality of life for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s residents. We are able to advocate better for them when we all work together.”

SPC employs 50 individuals that work on behalf of the 10-county region in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), local development district (LDD), and economic development district (EDA), the organization works to keep the region connected and moving forward. As part of this work, SPC helps counties, cities, municipalities and townships access approximately $39 billion in state and federal transportation and economic development funding that has been allocated to the region through 2045.

In other business at last week’s meeting of the Armstrong County Commissioners, county elections director James Webb gave an update about the rapidly approaching April 23 general election.

He said that April 8 is the last day to register to vote before the primary, and April 18 is the final day to request a mail-in ballot.

Webb said that testing of voting machines will begin soon, and that the county still needs poll workers in various precincts.

In related business, the commissioners approved an agreement between the county and Gabriel Fera PC, a firm representing multiple counties in a lawsuit regarding mail-in ballots.

Responding to a comment from a member of the public who said that “mail-in ballots are a farce” and that she did not want to see her tax dollars used to defend such a lawsuit, Strate stood behind Webb and the county elections department.

“Mail-in ballots are what we do now,” Strate acknowledged, noting that he had confidence in Webb to oversee the election.

Fabian acknowledged that the agreement with Gabriel Fera was only for a retainer, and that the county may not need those legal services as the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania is defending all counties in the case.

Other Business

• Approval was given for a cooperative agreement between the county and the City of Parker for administration of the city’s 2023 Community Development Block Grant funding. The city will receive $300,805 for its North Wayne Street reconstruction project. The county will retain 15 percent ($45,120) for administrative purposes.
• The commissioners approved listing four non-used vehicles from the Sheriff’s Department for sale on Municibid.
• Karen Travis of Apollo and Pam Lash of Freeport were appointed to the county’s Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board for three-year terms.

View the full article at thecourierexpress.com.

County Executive Sara Innamorato announced 10 appointees to five local boards Friday in what will be her biggest move to staff her new administration since she assumed office in January.

The individuals, if approved by a county council vote, will serve on the boards of the Allegheny Regional Asset District, the county Airport Authority, the county Redevelopment Authority, the county Sanitary Authority and the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission.

It is her second slate of board appointments, a key responsibility for the chief executive.

In a prepared statement, Ms. Innamorato said the slate will “bring diverse expertise and perspectives to our County’s vital boards and authorities.”

The former executive director of the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority, Diamonte Walker, was chosen for the board of The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County. The RAAC is responsible for managing economic growth in the region, focusing on real estate and repurposing vacant properties.

The RAAC requested $30 million in state aid last month to bolster their efforts to convert struggling Downtown office buildings into housing.

For the board of the Allegheny Regional Asset District, Ms. Innamorato named Monica Malik, the current area manager of Western Pennsylvania for Citizens Bank, and Jamilah Ducar, who leads University of Pittsburgh’s community affairs, and reappointed Dusty Kirk, a partner at the Pittsburgh branch of the international law firm Reed Smith. The Regional Asset District is responsible for using taxpayer money to invest in public facilities, including libraries, parks, sports and civic facilities, and public transit. It also provides funding directly to the county to support local government operations.

Ms. Innamorato named Dan Connolly, an attorney with a background in government consulting, to the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which is responsible for operating Pittsburgh International Airport. Mr. Connolly’s father, Robert Connolly, was one of 132 people who died in the Sept. 1994 USAir Flight 427 crash in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, in what is still known as the deadliest aviation accident in Pennsylvania’s history.

The Connolly family played a key role in lobbying for the federal Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act that passed two years later. The act codified into law the steps the National Transportation Safety Board must take to support the families of passengers involved in aircraft incidents.

Ms. Innamorato reappointed two current county council representatives. Paul Klein, a Democrat who has represented council district 11 since 2015, will continue to serve on the board of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority. Bob Macey, a Democrat who represents district 9 and chairs the county council Public Works Committee, will continue to serve on the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission.

Ms. Innamorato also reappointed Allegheny-Fayette Labor Council President Darrin Kelly to the Alcosan board.

Jesse DiRenna and Chris Sandvig will join Mr. Macey on the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, a congregation of 10 counties charged with collaborating on transportation and economic development projects in the region. Mr. DiRenna is president of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 66. Mr. Sandvig led efforts to reform transportation legislation and funding at the state level as part of both Goburg and Mobilify.

In her first slate of appointments, Ms. Innamorato picked three citizens for the county’s Jail Oversight Board. The County Council will convene at 5 p.m. next Tuesday to either vote on the appointments or refer them to the council’s appointment review committee.

View the full article at post-gazette.com.

1 Can you elaborate on engineering consultant HNTB’s specific role in the Midwest Connect Corridor ID Grant? How close does this bring us to passenger rail service?

A: The role of HNTB is to help the City of Fort Wayne as the primary applicant and its partners, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, set up and prepare the scope of work for the Service Development Plan for the Midwest Connect project.

HNTB, as a well-known transportation planning corporation, will serve a vital role as the vendor helping us to meet the expectations of the Federal Rail Administration in Step One of this Corridor ID passenger rail grant.

Many factors will influence the return of passenger rail service, but our hope is to see it happen in five to seven years, less if we can do it!

2 How does NIPRA engage with local communities, businesses and government officials to ensure support and successful implementation of the passenger rail project?

A: NIPRA board members have been meeting with elected officials and representatives of business organizations like Greater Fort Wayne Inc. and the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana for years to ensure support for the restoration of passenger rail service to Fort Wayne, northern Indiana and the Midwest. We have also spent time educating key businesses like Steel Dynamics and others as to the importance of the restoration of passenger rail service for not only transportation options but also for the very significant economic development it will bring to our city and region.

3 How do partnerships with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission influence the project’s scope and timeline?

A: The partnerships have been of immeasurable help to our efforts to bring back daily passenger rail service along the five-state Midwest Connect Corridor ID line. This project is not just a Fort Wayne or an Indiana-only passenger rail line; it is a five-state Midwest passenger rail corridor connecting three large cities and many smaller communities with another important transportation option.

We were selected because the Federal Rail Administration recognized the impact and importance of our unique multistate, 545-mile-long passenger rail corridor.

And the match costs to the federal grants will be spread over five states, not just Indiana.

With several states involved showing the interest and importance of Midwest Connect, we hope this will expedite and cut the timeline.

4 Is there a plan to integrate the historic Baker Street Station into the new passenger rail service, and how has the community responded to these efforts?

A: Yes, we hope to see the Midwest Connect passenger rail stop in Fort Wayne at the Baker Street Station downtown. We expect that Baker Street Station, formerly the Pennsylvania Railroad Station, will be part of the service development plan for stops along the Midwest Connect line. The public knows about Baker Street Station and sees it as a past and future home for passenger rail service in Fort Wayne and Allen County.

We have held rallies for passenger rail service twice in the past few years at Baker Street Station with 800 to 1,000 supporters attending, as well as many elected officials. Along this same theme, NIPRA is planning to hold a passenger rail rally Oct. 27 at Baker Street Station, and we expect a large and enthusiastic crowd of supporters and many elected officials as well.

5 What strategies is NIPRA using to raise public awareness and educate the community about the project’s benefits and progress? How can people get involved?

A: NIPRA has used the media to keep the public informed about our progress toward the restoration of passenger rail service in Fort Wayne, northern Indiana and the Midwest. Some of our board members, like City Councilman Geoff Paddock, speak to many organizations each year about passenger rail and the Midwest Connect Corridor ID project. NIPRA maintains a website, niprarail.org, and has a Facebook page as well with updates on our progress, and of course we do media interviews whenever there is more news to report.

We are also members of business organizations like Greater Fort Wayne Inc. and the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana and have representatives of business on our board of directors.

The public can support our efforts to restore passenger rail service by joining NIPRA as a member for a whopping $10 per year and by contacting state and local elected officials to express their support for the Midwest Connect Corridor ID passenger rail project.

View the full article at journalgazette.net.

The City has a new partner in efforts to bring a passenger rail service to Fort Wayne.  The project would get federal funds but now has the experience of the HNTB Corporation – a Kansas City-based engineering company to help in the planning work of bringing back passenger railway to Fort Wayne.

Current plans are for the rail service to run from Chicago to Pittsburgh through Columbus and Fort Wayne.

The City of Fort Wayne released the following:

The City of Fort Wayne, in partnership with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), has retained HNTB Corporation to assist with the implementation of the Midwest Connect Corridor ID Grant.

In December of 2023, the City of Fort Wayne received a $500,000 Corridor ID grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. The federal grant funds Step 1 to develop a scope, schedule, and budget for performing corridor planning and preparing a Service Development Plan to implement passenger rail service from Pittsburgh to Chicago via Fort Wayne & Columbus.

The selected consultant, HNTB, brings vision and extensive experience, having worked on over 40 passenger rail corridors nationwide. With over 110 years in transportation planning and design, HNTB is no stranger to the Midwest Connect corridor, having analyzed sections of the route over the past decade. They provide fully integrated services for all project phases, including feasibility studies, planning, environmental review, conceptual design, final design, and construction management.

“It’s encouraging to see this progress as Fort Wayne continues to lead an effort that will have a lasting and meaningful impact,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker. “As work continues with our partners, it’s our belief that this latest effort gives us the best chance to restore passenger rail services to Fort Wayne.”

The Corridor ID program garnered additional support from several key stakeholders, including the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA), Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council (NIRCC), Lima/Allen County Regional Planning Commission (LACRPC), Licking County Area Transportation Study (LCATS), Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA), and Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission (BHJTS). The program also received advocacy from the Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation.

“We are thrilled to have HNTB on board as our consultant for this project. Their extensive experience and vision will be invaluable as we move forward,” stated City Councilman Geoff Paddock. “The momentum of this initiative is inspiring, and while we recognize that there is a long road ahead, we are confident that with the support of our dedicated stakeholders, we can navigate this journey successfully.”

View the full article at 963xke.com.

A collaborative effort to connect Chicago, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh with passenger rail service is gaining momentum with the addition of HNTB Corporation’s expertise. The City of Fort Wayne, in partnership with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), recently retained HNTB Corporation to assist with implementing the Midwest Connect Corridor Identification and Development (CID) grant.

In December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded the City of Fort Wayne a $500,000 Corridor Identification and Development grant. The federal grant funds the development of a scope, schedule, and budget for performing corridor planning and preparing a Service Development Plan to implement passenger rail service from Pittsburgh to Chicago via Fort Wayne and Columbus. HNTB was awarded up to $450,000 to review past studies, remaining gaps, and establish the scope, schedule, and budget for the remaining planning work for the program. The contract for these initial tasks goes through June 2025.

HNTB, a consultant with extensive experience in transportation planning and design, has worked on more than 40 passenger rail corridors nationwide. HNTB played a key role in preparing the CID grant request and offers fully integrated services for all project phases, including feasibility studies, planning, environmental review, conceptual design, final design, and construction management.

“This is a major step forward in the public-private effort to reconnect Central Ohio to the nation’s passenger rail network,” said William Murdock, MORPC executive director. “This partnership across several states helps to advance the required work to qualify for federal funds for implementation. It builds on years of work showing passenger rail is a critical investment for prosperity and attracting talent.”

Passenger rail on the Midwest Connect Corridor has garnered support from several key stakeholders, including the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA), Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council (NIRCC), Lima/Allen County Regional Planning Commission (LACRPC), Licking County Area Transportation Study (LCATS), Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA), and Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission (BHJTS) and All Aboard Ohio.

“This project represents a transformative opportunity for our region,” said Parag Agrawal, chief mobility & infrastructure officer and senior director of programming at MORPC. “By enhancing connectivity and accessibility, we are not only fostering economic development but also promoting sustainable and efficient transportation solutions for the future.”

View the full story at logandaily.com.

We manage one of the largest regional data resources for planning and economic development projects. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we works with local governments, private industries and community organizations. We provide accurate, comprehensive data to move planning into development.

How SPC Makes a Difference

Our organization is steadfastly committed to keeping our region connected and moving forward. We work with local, state and federal partners to plan for the continued growth of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

As part of that work, we help counties, cities, municipalities and townships access over an estimated $39 billion in state and federal transportation and economic development funding that has been allocated to the region through 2050.

Together, we are enhancing our region’s competitiveness in the national and global markets.

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