As the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) looks toward infrastructure projects beginning in 2025, they are seeking public input on what residents want to see improved around Beaver County.

Representatives from the SPC, PennDOT and local county officials will host a public meeting for Beaver County residents to discuss desired infrastructure projects for their Transportation Improvement Plan on Monday. The meeting will be held in the Beaver County Courthouse from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and is expected to occur in other communities across Southwestern Pennsylvania in the coming weeks.

If residents are unable to attend, there are several ways to share feedback on potential projects:

• Residents can send an email to comments@spcregion.org
• Mail questions or comments to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at 42 21st Street, Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
• Call the SPC at (412) 391-5590
• Visit the Get Involved page on SPC’s website at www.spcregion.org/get-involved/
• A draft of the Transportation Improvement Plan will be available to the public in the spring of 2024.

View the full story at timesonline.com

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will switch his office from one historic building to another in January.

Fitzgerald, who will be leaving elected office at the iconic Allegheny County Courthouse due to term limits, will move to The Terminal complex in the Strip District as the new president and CEO of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. Fitzgerald has served on the board of the 10-county regional planning agency during his 12 years as county executive, including as the board president for a two-year term that ended in 2021.

The agency moved its headquarters to the remodeled produce terminal building earlier this year to become one of the anchor tenants for the project.

Fitzgerald will replace Vincent Valdes, who is retiring at the end of the year after leading the agency since June 2020. Under federal law, the agency plays a key role in setting regional priorities for transportation projects that receive federal funding.

In addition, SPC is involved in broadband development, water and sewer issues, and economic development.

In an interview, Fitzgerald stressed that his role as head of SPC, where he will carry out policy set by the board, will be different from his county executive role, where he sets policy for the county. Additionally, he will lead a staff of about 50 at SPC concentrating mostly on transportation and development issues in the region rather than a billion-dollar county budget that oversees thousands of employees in diverse areas such as public works, human services, the court system and jail, the airport authority, public transit and economic development.

“It’s a good way to transition,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s certainly a different type of role. When this opened up, I thought it was an opportunity to use the skills I developed over the years to do good work for the 10-county region.

“I’m very fortunate and grateful for the opportunity.”

Fitzgerald said he always has tried to take a regional approach as county executive, noting his strong support for development of the Shell Polymers Monaca plant in neighboring Beaver County’s Potter Township. He said will do everything he can to make sure the agency is meeting the needs of not only the urban and suburban communities in Allegheny, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties but also the more rural areas such as Armstrong, Beaver, Fayette, Indiana, Greene and Lawrence counties.

That was the goal for Valdes as well, but he took office just as the pandemic began and didn’t get an extended opportunity to travel to all the counties as much as he would have liked because of the two-year health emergency, Fitzgerald said.

“We have to find out how to build on the assets each community has,” he said. “You couldn’t put a hydrogen hub in Lawrenceville, but you can put robotics there, and you can put a hub in Fayette or Greene County. Each place has a different role.”

Fitzgerald also noted that this is an opportune time to be involved in regional planning because of the massive amount of federal funding available in a variety of areas through the Biden administration’s infrastructure and economic stimulus efforts. He’s hopeful that the contacts and relationships he has built as county executive will pay off for the region when communities apply for their share of billions in discretionary federal funding.

In a news release announcing Fitzgerald’s appointment, Butler County Commissioner and SPC board chairwoman Leslie Osche said the board considered “a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond” before choosing Fitzgerald.

“The board had several objectives when we launched the search process: to attract a candidate that intrinsically understood this region’s unique needs and characteristics, had a track record of leadership and growth cultivation, and would build upon the current strength, talent and consistency of the SPC staff,” said Osche. “… Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

Before Fitzgerald became county executive, he spent 11 years as a county councilman, including eight years as council president. He previously founded and operated a water treatment services and equipment company.

Valdes, came to SPC after spending 20 years with the Federal Transit Administration, where he rose to associate administrator in the Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation. The agency announced in its fall newsletter that he would retire at the end of the year to spend more time with his four grown children and extended family in Norfolk, Virginia.

“Leading SPC has been one of the highlights of my career,” Valdes said in the newsletter. “I’ve been fortunate to work alongside talented and dedicated professionals, and I know that the hard work this team does each and every single day positively impacts our local communities.”

View the full article at unionprogress.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has found a new job that will keep him in the Pittsburgh region and have a similar role in guiding investment and economic policy.

Fitzgerald will be named the new executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the federally designated metropolitan planning organization in charge of guiding government investment for the 10-county region surrounding Pittsburgh. The SPC is in charge of planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic development priorities for the region.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” said Fitzgerald in a statement. “Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

Fitzgerald has served as Allegheny County executive for 12 years. During that time, he has touted his success in growing the county’s rainy day fund, keeping taxes stable and boosting large infrastructure projects such as the $1.5 billion upgrade to the Pittsburgh International Airport.

He will lead a team of 50 staff members, who will focus on economic development, transportation and workforce development.

Fitzgerald is taking over for Vincent Valdes, who has headed the SPC since 2020.

Leslie Osche, SPC’s board chair and Butler County commissioner, said the board sought to attract a candidate who understood the region’s needs and had a track record of growth and leadership. She said Fitzgerald fit that role perfectly.

“We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond,” Osche said. “Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

A Bloomfield native who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, Fitzgerald now lives in Squirrel Hill. He served on Allegheny County Council for 11 years before being elected executive.

View the full article at triblive.com.

Rich Fitzgerald, outgoing Allegheny County executive, is heading to a new gig.

After serving 12 years as the county’s top official, he’ll become executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, a federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district that maps a blueprint for growth in 10 counties in the region. It helps counties, cities, municipalities and townships to access more than $35 billion state and federal transportation and economic development funds allocated to the region through 2045.

Fitzgerald, who was named 2202 Pittsburgher of the Year by Pittsburgh Magazine because of his public service, is term-limited in the county executive position. He’s slated to begin his new job on Jan. 2.

In his new position, the Squirrel Hill father of eight will lead a team of 50 staff members that focus on seven areas, including economic and workforce development, transportation planning and strategic initiatives and policy.

“The board had several objectives when we launched the search process: to attract a candidate that intrinsically understood this region’s unique needs and characteristics, had a track record of leadership and growth cultivation, and would build upon the current strength, talent, and consistency of the SPC staff,” said Leslie Osche, the commission’s board chair and Butler County Commissioner, in a press release.  “We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond. Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

The commission’s current executive director, Vincent Valdes, will retire at the end of this year. Fitzgerald’s county executive post will be filled by progressive Democrat Sara Innamorato, who was elected in November as the first woman to assume the county’s top position.

View the full article at pittsburghmagazine.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is taking a post-public service retirement off the table.

Fitzgerald, who has been in the county executive role for 12 years, or three straight terms — the limit for the position — will end his tenure at the start of January 2024 with the inauguration of Allegheny County Executive-elect Sara Innamorato, but according to an announcement made on Thursday, he has already landed a new role for when his term officially ends.

Starting on Jan. 2, 2024, Fitzgerald will serve as the new executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district that serves 10 counties in the region. The organization’s current executive director, Vincent Valdez, will be retiring at the end of the year.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Fitzgerald said in a release. “While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties. Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

In his role, Fitzgerald will lead SPC’s staff of 50 across seven different focus areas: Economic and workforce development, transportation planning, strategic initiatives and policy, information and data, finance, human resources, and communications and public relations. SPC noted Fitzgerald’s accomplishments and work to grow and diversify the region’s economy, invest in transportation and infrastructure and improve public services during his time as county executive, as well as his 11 years spent on the county council.

“The Board had several objectives when we launched the search process: To attract a candidate that intrinsically understood this region’s unique needs and characteristics, had a track record of leadership and growth cultivation, and would build upon the current strength, talent and consistency of the SPC staff,” Leslie Osche, SPC’s board chair and Butler County Commissioner, said in a release. “We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond. Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the Board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

View the full article at bizjournals.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and Butler County Public Participation Panel will host an informational in-person public meeting starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 6.

The meeting will be held at the Middlesex Township Municipal Building, 133 Browns Hill Road in Valencia.

This meeting will begin with a short presentation of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s Transportation Improvement Program with a display of Butler County transportation projects.

View the full story at butlereagle.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has a new role for the organization leading growth in this region.

Fitzgerald was named recently as the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s new executive director by its board.

Fitzgerald will assume this role on Jan. 2 when his tenure as Allegheny County Executive concludes.

The SPC is the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district serving 10 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, including Lawrence County.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” Fitzgerald said.

“Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region,” he added.

Fitzgerald served as Allegheny County executive since 2012 and was term-limited. Before that, he was a city councilman for 11 years and was elected council president four times.

He will lead an SPC staff of 50 members across seven departments, including economic and workforce development, transportation planning, strategic initiatives and policy, information and data, finance, human resources and communications and public relations.

“The board is grateful to Vincent Valdes for positioning SPC to be the region’s leading agent of support to local governments for transportation, broadband, and economic development,” said Leslie Osche, SPC’s board chair and Butler County Commissioner.

“He laid the groundwork for Mr. Fitzgerald to carry the commission and our region to the next level. We are excited about the future of our region under Rich’s leadership,” Osche said.

Valdes is retiring at the end of the year.

Before entering public service, Fitzgerald spent many years in the private sector. He grew up in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhood before attending Carnegie Mellon University, earning degrees in mechanical engineering with a minor in business.

He and his wife live in Squirrel Hill and are the parents of eight adult children.

The SPC board will welcome Fitzgerald at its Tuesday meeting.

View the full article at ncnewsonline.com.

More than $1.3 million in additional funding has been made available to complete the section of the Sheepskin Trail through the city of Uniontown.

“We’re continuing to add to the trail as quickly as we can and get this thing built,” said Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites.

Vicites said $1,300,832 came through his involvement with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) as the secretary/treasurer, his fellow commissioners, Uniontown Mayor Bill Gerke and the state Department of Transportation to obtain funds to finish the Uniontown leg.

“After the initial discussion, PennDOT approached us about funding, as we qualified for TIP funds,” Vicites said of Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) funds through the state agency.

Vicites said PennDOT suggested those involved in the project do a wal- through in the city to identify the future project areas and how much money would be needed to complete the Uniontown portion.

“Once we figured it out, we submitted a funding request, and PennDOT awarded the funds,” Vicites said.

The completed section of the trail in Uniontown runs from South Union Township to Beeson Avenue in the city. The remaining portion, which follows the path of an abandoned railroad line, runs just under half a mile from Beeson to North Union Township.

The project is in the final design phase with Gibson Thomas Engineering in Lemont Furnace.

Clayton VanVerth, project manager with Gibson Thomas, said three railroad bridges will be paved and transformed for bicycles and pedestrians to cross.

“The bridges are structurally sound, already inspected, and we’ll look into putting on concrete decks and rails on them,” VanVerth said.

VanVerth added that once the design phase is completed, and after months of reviews and permitting – as the bike trail will cross two state roads – actual construction could begin sometime in 2025.

Gerke said an earlier agreement with the railroad company calls for the city to be responsible for removing the existing railroad tracks through the city belonging to Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad, which provided the city with $220,000 for the track removal.

Gerke is eager for the Uniontown portion to be completed.

“People have asked me about each phase, and then they are asking about the next phase,” Gerke said, adding that even in the colder months, he’s seen people walking on portions of the trail. “That’s our goal, to get the trail in the city and get people into the city. It’s a social and economic boom.”

Gerke said the commissioners have worked diligently on the project, and Vicites said it has been a team effort.

“We’re one step closer in getting it done,” said Commissioner Dave Lohr. “This is another link to get this accomplished and get to the next level.”

“We’re so excited to see this money coming in,” said Commissioner Scott Dunn. “This will be a big plus for the Sheepskin Trail and the city of Uniontown. This satisfies everyone and builds our trail.”

“This is a huge win for the county and the city,” VanVerth said.

Vicites said they’re trying to have multiple sections of the trail being worked on simultaneously, and continue to seek more funding opportunities to finish the trail.

Once completed, the 34-mile Sheepskin Trail will run from Dunbar Township to Point Marion, passing through a number of communities, including Mount Braddock, Lemont Furnace, Uniontown, Hopwood, Fairchance, Smithfield, Outcrop, Gans, Lake Lynn and Point Marion.

The finished trail will link to the Great Allegheny Passage and the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail to the north, and the West Virginia Mon River Rail-Trail System to the south.

For more information on the Sheepskin Trail, visit sheepskintrail.org/.

View the full article at heraldstandard.com.

Our environmental planning and programming focuses on collaboration with local stakeholders on a variety of infrastructure, sustainability, resiliency, and climate-related issues. Our team works to maximize existing resources, leverage funding sources, and find innovative ways to advance our region’s environmental priorities that are detailed in the  Long Range Plan.

We continue to proactively monitor the effects of climate change, and address the challenges that climate change has on our region’s infrastructure, people, and property. As part of this work, our team has prioritized the areas of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilient infrastructure. Our departments work together internally to ensure that our organization’s activities support the region’s overall climate justice goals, and we assist local stakeholders with obtaining funding supports those goals. Through collaboration, our organization is striving to ensure that our plans and programs have a beneficial impact on the region’s environment.  

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice, as defined by the US Department of Transportation (DOT), is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, national origin, or educational level with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. As an identified planning strategy, fair treatment means that no population, due to policy or economic disempowerment, is forced to bear a disproportionate burden of the negative human health and environmental impacts, including social and economic effects, resulting from transportation decisions, programs and policies made, implemented and enforced at the Federal, State, local or tribal level.

Electric Vehicle Planning

Our environmental planning and programing continues to support PennDOT with implementation and information sharing under the Pennsylvania State Plan for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program.

The new executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is no stranger to the 10 counties in that organization.

Rich Fitzgerald was Allegheny County’s executive for 12 years, but also served on the SPC board and its executive committee.

Still, Fitzgerald is planning to meet with the boards of commissioners in Indiana, Armstrong, Westmoreland and other counties that surround Allegheny.

His meeting with the Indiana County Commissioners is scheduled for Jan. 22.

“One of my jobs will be to hear from the commissioners what their goals are,” Fitzgerald said Tuesday in an interview that also is for an upcoming annual business review in The Indiana Gazette.

SPC may be best known for its role as a metropolitan planning organization, working on such measures as the Transportation Improvement Plan.

As was disclosed during a series of public meetings this past fall, SPC is dealing with $3.9 billion in traffic projects across 10 counties around Pittsburgh, including Indiana County.

But, as was noted by Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess during that interview with Fitzgerald, there is a lot of things happening, involving a wide range of partnerships meant to drive Indiana County forward.

According to SPC’s website, its mission is to help direct the use of state and federal transportation and economic development funds allocated to the region — approximately $35 billion through 2045.

The commission states on that website that it works closely with counties, cities, municipalities, and townships access this funding and support them with their planning needs.

Fitzgerald has served on SPC’s board, working among others with retired Indiana County Commissioner Rodney D. Ruddock during his four terms on the county board, as well as his service on SPC’s executive committee, where Ruddock once was chairman.

Recently, Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian was elected as SPC’s chairman.

Hess also serves on that executive committee, and is part of the SPC’s board along with fellow Commissioners R. Michael Keith and Robin A. Gorman, as well as Indiana County Office of Planning & Development Executive Director Byron G. Stauffer Jr. and Indiana County Chamber of Commerce President Mark Hilliard.

That includes broadband, workforce development and economic development.

SPC is designated by the Appalachian Regional Commission as a Local Development District and by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration as Economic Development District for Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Fitzgerald said he will get the priorities of each county’s officials.

“There will be follow up meetings based on their recommendations,” the new SPC executive director said.

Fitzgerald also wants to look at what opportunities are available in each county.

In Indiana County, a probable destination is Windy Ridge, a county industrial park on the outskirts of White Township’s Oakland Avenue business district, where Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters Inc. purchased nearly 48.5 acres from the Indiana County Development Corporation to construct a 750,000-square-foot fulfillment center, creating 225 permanent full-time jobs.

Another county facility, the 119 Business Park in Center Township, is home to the Air Liquide biomethane project now under development.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, also known as the Southwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission, was formed in 1962.

In 1974, it was designated the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization by the governor of Pennsylvania.

Until 1992, SPRPC only covered the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland, as well as the City of Pittsburgh itself.

In 1992, SPRPC joined with Fayette, Greene and Indiana counties to form the Southwest Pennsylvania Regional Development Council, to as a Local Development District.

In 1999, SPRPC and the council came together as the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, or SPC as it is now known.

In 2003, SPC expanded to include Lawrence County.

View the full article at indianagazette.com.