The State Senate Transportation Committee met with PennDOT officials Wednesday in Pittsburgh to discuss different ideas to fix bridges across Pennsylvania, now that tolling is off the table.

PennDOT planned to implement tolling on at least nine major bridges across the state, including the I-79 bridge in Bridgeville, in order to pay for their repair or replacement, but lawsuits stopped that from happening.

Now, alternative ideas are being considered.

One option is an electric vehicle fee potentially based on mileage.

“It’s a priority of the committee to get something to the finish line for mileage-based user fees for electric vehicles,” said State Sen. Wayne Langerholc. “Those are users that are using our roads just the same as we are when we fill up our pumps.”

Another issue the committee looked at is how to deal with out-of-state drivers who only use highways, like the turnpike, and fill up with gas where it’s cheaper before crossing state lines.

The committee also heard from members of the construction industry about whether the projects can be done more affordably and with Pennsylvania companies as the lead contractors.

Read the full story at WTAE.com

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), in partnership with DQE Communications, is applying to the Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program (MMGP) to establish and enhance fiber-based infrastructure across the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region. SPC is the federally-designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) responsible for the region’s transportation planning process, as well as the Local Development District and Economic Development District, that establishes regional economic development priorities and provides a wide range of technical services to the region.

In 2022, SPC developed A Connectivity Roadmap for Southwestern Pennsylvania, a strategic regional plan to identify and guide the deployment of high-speed connectivity programs and projects throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. The Connectivity Roadmap provides a guide to building a more comprehensive and equitable broadband network that will help connect people to opportunities, jobs, and education; attract new and retain current businesses; and ultimately enable southwestern Pennsylvania to be better- positioned in securing future connectivity funding for potential projects and programs.

The regional cooperation required to develop the Connectivity Roadmap has provided SPC with the tools and information needed to apply to the highly-competitive MMGP, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Internet fiber-optic networks, also called “middle-mile” networks, act as a superhighway that allows internet traffic to quickly travel across far distances. The exits on the highway are local networks that consumers interact with, like home WiFi or business Internet—these are what we call “last-mile” services and are often offered by other Internet Service Providers (ISP’s). The MMGP focuses on the highway, not the driveway!

Historically, middle mile fiber networks are built, owned, and operated by ISP’s, telecom companies, and electric utility entities who then lease fiber to last-mile providers/ISPs. Therefore, while middle-mile construction does not immediately impact consumer concerns associated with last-mile services, such as plan pricing, speeds, or a pesky router, without extensive middle-mile network enhancements, it becomes difficult and costly to improve current network capacity or to establish reliable networks in underserved and unserved communities. That’s why SPC saw the Middle Mile Grant Program (MMGP) as the natural next step for improving high-speed broadband in Southwest PA.

Learn More!

November 14 – 18 , 2022 is Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW). A Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored initiative, CRSW communicates the simple steps everyone can take in keeping our roadway responders and the public safe around traffic incidents.

SPC has developed a series of animated PSAs to raise awareness and keep our emergency responders safe on the job.

A new PSA will be released every day of Crash Responder Safety Week. Be “In the know, on the go” by clicking below:

(via https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov)

Every minute of every day, law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services, public works, transportation, towing, and other responders work roadside to make roadways safe for all road users. Unfortunately, these traffic incident responders put their lives at risk when clearing each of the nearly 7-million annual motor vehicle crashes or the broader range of incidents such as stalled vehicles or roadway debris. CRSW is an opportunity to promote road user awareness and adherence to Move Over laws and Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training for all traffic incident responders.

Visit our Operations and Safety page to learn more!

We’re Moving!

The new space will be in the heart of the Strip District. In the meantime, SPC will be operating virtually until further notice.

Staff will be available via their email, or you can call 412.391.5590. For general inquiries, please email comments@spcregion.org.

SPC will continue to provide all of our services, including:

• Long Range Plan Development
• Broadband & Connectivity Implementation Support
• Transportation Planning
• Workforce & Economic Development Planning
• Commercial Lending
• Export Assistance
• Government Procurement
• Data Analysis
• Water Resource Center
• Local Technical Assistance Program
• CommuteInfo 1.888.819.6110

Our new office location is: 42 21st Street, Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Please continue to send correspondence to SPC at Two Chatham Center, Suite 500 112 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

“The lack of access to high-speed broadband is a genuine problem in many communities throughout our region,” Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Vice Chairman and Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian during a Regional Broadband & Connectivity Summit Thursday in Butler County.

SPC is a municipal planning organization representing Pittsburgh and the 10 counties surrounding the city, which seeks to work as one on the goals of transportation, planning and development, and information systems in the southwestern corner of the state.

“Without this, our region’s businesses, households and public institutions cannot prosper,” Fabian said to an audience gathered in Cranberry Township. “At SPC, we believe that by working together with private and public partners and across local, regional, state and federal levels, we can lead the effort to make our vision of affordable, equitable broadband access a reality in every part of southwestern Pennsylvania.”

During the summit, it was reported that most of the 10-county region are either underserved, with download speeds of less than 50 megabits per second (Mbps), or unserved, with download speeds of less than 25 Mbps.

SPC said download speeds between 50 and 99 Mbps are more common in Allegheny and Butler counties, but are found only in small areas throughout the remaining eight counties, including Armstrong and Indiana.

A series of panel discussions took up much of the day, including one regarding the “Pennsylvania Statewide Implementation Plan” and a summary of regional efforts, with Indiana County Office of Planning & Development Executive Director Byron G. Stauffer Jr. as the moderator.

Stauffer has been at the forefront of efforts to expand broadband in Indiana County, with one $2.3 million contract awarded so far and more to be brought soon to the county commissioners. The ICOPD director said the next phase of what eventually will be a $7 million network of broadband connections could be announced as soon as the next meeting of the county board on Wednesday.

Stauffer was joined by two representatives of state agencies, Brandon Carson, executive director of the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, and Dr. Kyle Kopko, executive director of the General Assembly’s Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

Kopko said there are 19 counties regarded as urban, 48 as rural, with some rural areas in every county except Philadelphia and Delaware counties.

He said there has been stagnation in rural communities in Pennsylvania, with the population in those communities rising from 3.39 million to 2000 to 3.47 million in 2010, then dropping back to 3.38 million in 2020.

Read the full article at IndianaGazette.com

The fate of the Charles Anderson Bridge in Oakland was shaping up to be another embarrassment for the struggling Gainey administration — but Mr. Gainey’s apparent deal with state and federal agencies to accelerate a full rehabilitation of the span, if it is seen through, may turn out to be a welcome example of effective leadership from Grant Street. The bridge carries the Boulevard of the Allies over Panther Hollow.

PennDOT rebuilt the Fern Hollow Bridge in under a year due to the city’s emergency declaration, which allowed design and construction to proceed in parallel. Because the Charles Anderson has been on the decrepit list for so long, much of the preparatory work is already complete. By moving funding up the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s priority list, at least a year may be cut off the construction schedule. This means the city is canceling its remedial repairs and will keep the bridge closed for the duration of the full rehab.

In the morbid discussion of city-owned bridges with inspection results similar to, or even worse than, the collapsed Fern Hollow Bridge, the Charles Anderson Bridge was always near the top of the list. Pittsburghers’ fears were confirmed when the city closed the bridge on an emergency basis on Feb. 1.

Mr. Gainey attempted to dodge responsibility for a postponement of rehab funding for the span. Mayor Bill Peduto’s 2022 capital budget projected $3 million in spending on the Charles Anderson in 2023, but Mr. Gainey’s 2023 capital budget pushed that projection back an entire year. The mayor attributed this to a postponement by the SPC transportation planning agency — but he sits on the executive committee of the commission. A Post-Gazette investigation later revealed that Mr. Gainey has an extremely poor attendance record at SPC meetings.

Mr. Gainey pleaded that Mr. Peduto’s $3 million plans for the bridge were merely a “projection” and not an “allocation,” but this is wordplay: The fact remains that the plans were delayed on his watch.

Securing a deal to expedite the bridge’s reconstruction, however, would reverse this mistake and maybe build some positive momentum for the floundering administration.

There are still unanswered questions about just how expedited the process will be. At the meeting where City Council approved the preliminary funding, Department of Mobility and Infrastructure director Kim Lucas would only commit to “before 2027” for a completion date. Since 2027 was when construction was supposed to happen under the original 2022 SPC plan, with bids going out mid-2025, Pittsburghers who use this vital connection are right to want a more specific commitment.

Further, early statements from the city misstated the nature of its own agreement with state and federal agencies, another sign of amateurism in the mayor’s office.

But let’s dwell on the positive: Mr. Gainey’s office effectively advocated for city infrastructure in the labyrinthine state and federal funding process. It’s a success we need to see the mayor repeat many times in the years to come.

Read the full article at post-gazette.com.

Overview | ARC Area Development Grant Program | Helpful Links

Overview

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was founded in 1965 to help the 13-state Appalachian region reach economic parity with the rest of the nation. Since then, ARC has invested $4.5 billion in approximately 28,000 economic development projects across Appalachia, attracting over $10 billion in matching project funds.

Each year in Pennsylvania, ARC provides funding for numerous projects in the Appalachian Region in a wide range of program areas. The projects funded in the program areas create thousands of new jobs, improve local water and sewer systems, increase school readiness, expand access to health care, assist local communities with strategic planning and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses.

Local Development Districts (LDDs) — also known as local Council of Governments, Regional Planning and Development Commissions, or Area Development Districts —  are multi-county planning organizations facilitating community-based, regionally driven economic development.

Our organization is the designated Local Development District (LDD) for the region, providing technical assistance and coordinating with the state, specifically the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), for nine counties in our geographic footprint: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland. Lawrence County is part of Northwest Commission’s LDD territory.

Service Maps

If your service area is outside of Pennsylvania, you can find all ARC state programs here.

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ARC Grant Opportunities

All ARC projects have the same goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity

All applications have to meet at least one of these goals, as well as a corresponding PA ARC strategy and objective. The four funding streams detailed below have different deadlines and funding focuses, but ARC is primarily interested in funding activities related to economic development.

Timeline

When applying for an ARC funding opportunity, applicants complete a pre-application (may be called a Letter of Intent, Concept Paper, or pre-application, depending on funding opportunity) and, if invited, a full application. In the pre-application and full application, applicants will need to identify both an ARC goal and strategy as well as a Pennsylvania goal and objective.

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What to consider when applying for funding

ARC awards program grants to state and local agencies and governmental entities, local governing boards, and nonprofit organizations. Indian tribes and higher education institutions are also eligible for ARC program grants. ARC does not award grants to individuals or for-profit entities.

You have two options for funding: a planning or implementation grant. Planning grants fund in the creation of strategies or programs and/or feasibility studies with hopes of pursuing an implementation grant. An implementation grant is for the execution of a project. If you have a project or program idea that could use further exploration – perhaps funding a consultant or market research – a planning grant may be for you. For a project or program that is fully fleshed out, perhaps has match sources and partners identified, and just needs that last bit of funding to make the project a reality, your project may be ready for an implementation grant. More information on eligible activities for planning and implementation can be found in ARC’s project guidelines.

As you’re considering the project or program you’re looking to have funded, you’ll also need to consider match. ARC projects typically require at least 50% match between in-kind donations, cash, state funding, or other federal funding (as approved by DCED/ARC). For FY23, projects taking place in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Greene, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland count(ies) will need at least 50% match. Projects taking place in Butler county require at least 70% match. Projects taking place in Fayette county require 30% match.

For multiple county projects (like many SPC ARC projects are), an average of counties’ required match works for calculating match. Example: a proposed project is taking place in Allegheny, Washington, Beaver, and Butler counties. Allegheny (50%) + Washington (50%) + Beaver (50%) + Butler (70%) = 220 / 4 = 55% match required for this project.

Match is required for both planning and implementation grants.

Talk to SPC about potential options for matching funds.

For construction projects, identifying an RSBA will be required for your pre-application. An RSBA will supervise your construction project and can be a federal agency (USDA, EDA, HUD locally), a state agency (DCED depending on capacity), or county/municipality. After identifying the RSBA that’s willing to supervise your project, you’ll submit an RSBA request letter to the agency and include a letter from said agency confirming their commitment to serve as your project’s RSBA with your pre-application.

SPC can help brainstorm potential RSBAs for your project. RSBA and BFA letter templates available upon request.

Best practice: when considering what project you’d like to have funded, think about what metrics you’ll be providing to ARC and what activities will be funded by ARC vs. which will be funded by your match sources (see breakdown of budget in pre-application link). ARC has set outputs and outcomes for all projects, as defined by their Guide to Performance Measures: ARC’s Performance Measures. Whether your metrics are paired or standalone, you’ll need to include these metrics in both your pre-application and full application.

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Executive Summary Template: Area Development and Local Access Road:

Pre-application Best Practices

• keep to 2-3 pages, 
• use the strategic plans above to identify “Goals and Strategies”, 
• use SPC’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)/Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), SmartMoves, under “Strategic Rationale”
• use Performance Measures as outlined above

SPC, as SWPA’s Local Development District (LDD), submits Area Development and Local Access Road Executive Summaries to DCED. SPC also submits full applications to DCED on behalf of regional applicants. For more information on how to complete ARC’s Executive Summary, timelines for submission, and all other technical assistance, please reach out to Faith Collins (fcollins@spcregion.org) at SPC.

PLEASE NOTE: SAM REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL ARC APPLICANTS.

Please let us know if you need assistance getting a UEI from SAM.gov.

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ARC Area Development Grant Program

The Area Development Program focuses on education and workforce training programs, highway construction, water and sewer system construction, leadership development programs, small business start-ups and expansions, and development of healthcare resources. Area Development programs also offer a Local Access Road funding opportunity. Please note that Local Access Road projects must use PennDOT as their Registered State Basic Agency.

Total time until funding is disbursed: 6-9 months. ARC is best for programs taking place in the future; ARC does not reimburse funding. All ARC-funded program activities will need to take place after ARC funding has been disbursed.

In addition to a cost estimate and preliminary engineering report, a Basic Federal Agency or Registered State Basic Agency must be identified for the project. A BFA or RSBA will be used to manage construction projects as ARC does not manage their own construction projects. An RSBA or BFA request letter template, examples of cost estimates, and information on how to put together preliminary engineering reports are available upon request from Faith Collins (fcollins@spcregion.org) at SPC

Documentation required for full applications:

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Other Grants Available Through ARC

ARC offers other grant opportunities throughout the year: INSPIRE and POWER are typically open in February or March each year.

For more information on POWER, INSPIRE, and ARISE, please reach out to Faith Collins (fcollins@spcregion.org), or visit ARC’s website. You can also sign up for ARC’s newsletter.

Calendar

Pleaser check back. Grant due dates will be added as they are announced.

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Helpful Links

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Community Capacity Program

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) provides technical assistance for potential grant applicants interested in applying for funding opportunities through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), as well other opportunities related to economic development.

It certainly would be no mere play on words to say one particular matter in East Franklin Township hits close to home for Larry Richardson.

An ongoing sense of urgency expressed by many to make safer the State Route 422/Glade Run Road intersection in the municipality is understood and appreciated more than most by people such as Richardson, the municipality’s zoning officer, who resides not far from the junction that counts at least one traffic-related fatality in recent years.

“I use it at least once or twice a day,” said Richardson during Thursday’s monthly public meeting of East Franklin Township’s board of supervisors.

It was with that in mind that Richardson, acting in place of township Supervisor David Stewart at the meeting until he arrived, delivered the latest update on efforts largely spearheaded by 16-year-old Gracie Elosser to pursue safety enhancements at the intersection.

Since a deadly accident on July 3, 2021, at the site that led to the death of Kenneth Robert Shaffer, 60, who was killed in a motorcycle accident after hitting a truck there, Elosser has been routinely attending township meetings and offering her opinion that the intersection is a danger to drivers.

With Elosser once again present at the board’s most recent meeting proceeding, Richardson detailed plans by Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation (PennDOT) District 10 to move forward with related efforts to make passing through the junction less of a risk for motorists.

“At the present time, there is a project out to correct the pavement and do painting on the pavement (at the intersection),” he said.

The state agency intends to apply painted traffic warnings known as optical speed bars, which would be designed to more efficiently catch the eyes of motorists in an effort to make them aware of the need to curtail their speed as they approach the intersection, he said.

“The lines (would) start about 1,000 feet out, go the whole way across the highway and they increase in volume as you get near the intersection,” Richardson said. “So the closer you get to the intersection, the faster you look like you’re going, and hopefully, they say, that will slow people down.”

PennDOT also intends to place a device known as a speed minder, which would rest on a portable trailer near the intersection, for every four to six weeks starting in April, he said.

“They’re going to put it there for four to five days at a time, either Monday through Friday or Friday through Monday,” Richardson said. “They hope to do that starting in April for five to six months, which would take them in to September. So it’s during the spring and summer.”

In addition, a plan is in play to rectify the positioning of stop signs at the intersection.

“There are two stop signs, and they are either coming from the Fox Hollow side or the Glade Run side on the north side, one you come up on it straight ahead, and one’s to the right,” Richardson said.

PennDOT also told Richardson a work order is in the works to better position stop signs directing traffic at the site.

“Hopefully that’ll all start soon,” he said.

Referencing a road safety audit conducted on the intersection by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), Richardson said one of the options PennDOT also would be to allow traffic flow at the site only to motorists turning right.

“They’d put a concrete barrier down the medial strip so you can’t go straight across and you can’t make a left-hand turn,” he said.

PennDOT has also requested that Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) trooper from Troop D, Kittanning, be assigned to sit at the site and evaluate speed via radar. Another option, according to Richardson, would be for PennDOT to install high-resistance pavement to help motorists quickly stopping their vehicles maintain control.

When given the chance to ask questions, Elosser questioned when all the aforementioned work would commence, to which the answers remained vague. “I was told today there are many, many more intersections in the state of Pennsylvania that are more dangerous than that one,” Richardson said.

View the full article at leadertimes.com

CommuteInfo Vanpool Vehicle and Fleet Support Services RFP

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Technical Proposals and Price Proposals (together, Proposal packages) for CommuteInfo Vanpool Vehicle and Fleet Support Services. The selected firm or team of firms will provide SPC with the following support services for its CommuteInfo Vanpool Program: vanpool vehicles; fleet maintenance/management; driver support, contracting, and invoicing services; fleet insurance; and data collection.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) was released by SPC on April 19, 2023. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion.org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Anthony Hickton at Ahickton@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFP document. Proposal packages are due on May 19, 2023.

RFP Document Download Request Form

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On-Call Consultancy Services RFQ

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Statements of Qualifications and Pricing Details Compilations (together, Statement of Qualifications packages) for On-Call Consultancy Services. SPC is seeking to engage up to five full-service teams of firms to provide “on-call” delivery of a wide range of specialized support services as the need arises related to SPC’s functional areas of Transportation Planning, Strategic Initiatives & Policy, Economic & Workforce Development, Information & Data, Finance, Public Relations & Communication Initiatives, and Human Resources. 

The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released by SPC on April 19, 2023. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion.org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Kristin Baum at kbaum@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFQ document. Statement of Qualifications packages are due on May 24, 2023.

RFQ Document Download Request Form

Construction on Pittsburgh’s Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge project could begin as early as spring 2024, city officials said Monday.

The most recent project update indicates the design phase for the bridge should be completed by the end of this year. Construction is “anticipated to begin” next spring and is expected to take two construction seasons.

The bridge was closed in early February, after inspections showed the need for immediate repairs to the 85-year old steel deck truss bridge. The bridge carries the four-lane Boulevard of the Allies over a pedestrian trail and connects Central Oakland and South Oakland with Schenley Park.

The project predicts the removal of one inbound lane on the bridge to accommodate a bicycle lane. There would still be two outbound lanes of traffic with sidewalks on each side.

The scope of the project has also expanded from its initial plan to include the rehabilitation of the Panther Hollow Overpass, which sits just a few hundred yards from the bridge, next to the Schenley Pool.

The bridge crosses over the pedestrian trail and would still be safe for vehicles but would require a weight limit if not updated, officials said.

Combining both bridge repairs into one project means the road would only have to be closed once, Kim Lucas, the director of the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure recently told City Council.

After disputes over the funding, City Council approved a $3.1 million contract for the bridge project, which officials said could accelerate the construction timeline to begin at the end of March.

The city’s 2022 capital budget showed $6 million listed for repairs to the bridge, but that was not included in Mayor Ed Gainey’s budget. Mr. Gainey said that the $6 million was a “projection not an allocation” from former Mayor Bill Peduto’s budget.

Mr. Gainey also said funding for infrastructure projects in the region funnels through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, of which he sits on the executive committee.

The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure submitted requests to the SPC and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to delay other projects so that the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge project could receive funding sooner.

View the full article at postgazette.com