Tribune-Review: Route 30 upgrades, bridge projects among $1.1B in Westmoreland work through 2050

Reconstruction and intersection changes on Route 30 are among more than $1.1 billion in long-term highway projects proposed in a 25-year transportation plan for Westmoreland County.

The reconstruction of Route 30 would occur between Leger Road in North Huntingdon and the Irwin borough limits, and improvement is planned for two intersections in Hempfield — at Donohoe and Georges Station roads.

Rachel Duda, PennDOT District 12’s assistant district executive for design, said the state transportation department has yet to begin study of the proposed project at Georges Station Road, which she said Westmoreland planners suggested for consideration.

Without a left-turn signal or lane, traffic headed south on Georges Station often is backed up behind motorists waiting to turn left onto eastbound Route 30.

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) planners have estimated in the draft version of its SmartMoves Long Range Transportation Plan that it could cost $29.5 million to improve that intersection.

“We need to do a little more work there to figure out what can be done,” said Angela Saunders, transportation planning manager for PennDOT District 12. “Because it is a very tight intersection, there may not be a lot of options. But we’re going to see what we can do.”

The SPC estimates it could cost $92.6 million to reconstruct the North Huntingdon stretch of Route 30 and $30 million to make roadway improvements at the Donohoe Road intersection with Route 30.

Duda said PennDOT is looking into another Hempfield project, at the intersection of Donohoe and Georges Station roads, that might be easier and quicker to achieve than the nearby Georges Station/Route 30 improvement. The crossroads on Donohoe, currently controlled by four-way stop signs, also is subject to traffic backups at peak hours.

Duda said preliminary engineering is underway for three options there: a traffic signal, a roundabout placed directly at the crossroads or a roundabout shifted toward one of the corners.

“That has not been decided yet,” she said. “Whenever we have an intersection project, we always start with a roundabout in mind because they’re most efficient and they’re safer. You never have someone turning left in front of you, so you eliminate angle crashes.”

$1.1 billion eyed for work

The SPC is proposing projects in Westmoreland County with a total value of $1.1 billion as part of its 10-county long-range transportation plan, which looks forward through 2050. Domenic D’Andrea, SPC’s director of transportation planning, said another $1.3 billion in spending can be allocated over those years among projects across PennDOT District 12, which includes Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington and Greene counties.

Since a previous long-range transportation plan was completed in 2019, D’Andrea said, the covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on transportation, along with other sectors of society. But additional federal and state funding has allowed the SPC and PennDOT to advance several Westmoreland projects to the current Transportation Improvement Plan of work scheduled through 2026.

Those include the second and third segments of the three-phase Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project, which is meant to improve alignments and intersections along the Route 981 corridor between Mt. Pleasant and Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity.

September 2023 is the target date for completing the first project section, currently under construction, between Route 819 and Norvelt in Mt. Pleasant Township. Saunders said bids are expected to be let in October for the northern section of the project, between Pleasant Unity and the airport, and in October 2025 for the middle section, between Norvelt and Pleasant Unity.

All three Laurel Valley project sections represent an investment of more than $200 million, she said.

Other pending projects in Westmoreland include:

Rehabilitation of the West Newton Bridge that carries Route 136 over the Youghiogheny River, at an estimated cost of $7 million.
Replacement of the Salina Bridge over the Kiski River and Norfolk Southern Railroad, estimated at $13.3 million.
Safety improvements on Route 30 between Route 48 in North Versailles, Allegheny County, and Malts Lane in North Huntingdon, with a $22.3 million price tag.

Bridge projects dominate

The West Newton Bridge project is intended to maintain the historic significance of the metal truss span, which was built in 1909. After undergoing previous work in 1957, 1982 and 2010, it has received a poor rating for its superstructure.

Bids for the new bridge rehab project are to be let in 2024.

“The bridge that exists will stay, and we’ll preserve all the historic parts of it,” Duda said, adding that a temporary bridge will be used during construction.

“Building a temporary bridge is something that’s crazy for a bridge that size,” she said. “It took a lot of planning.”

Otherwise, the project would have required a detour “way too long to be able to handle that kind of closure,” Saunders said.

Bidding for the Salina Bridge project is targeted for December, with construction to begin next year. The existing bridge will remain open to traffic as the replacement is constructed next to it.

“There will be some detours at the end when we’re tying into the new alignment,” Saunders said.

The largest chunk of funding available for the long-range transportation plan, 44%, will be devoted to bridge projects, while roadway improvements will account for 32%.

“In the last 10 years, our region has made very good progress in decreasing the number of poor-rated bridges,” D’Andrea said. “They have been cut in half, but we still have work to do.”

He said about 10% of state-owned bridges and 25% of locally owned bridges across the region remain in poor condition.

Additional Westmoreland bridge projects proposed in the long-range transportation plan, with associated cost estimates, include:

Replacement/rehabilitation of the Walworth Viaduct bridge that carries Route 30 over Route 119: $17.7 million.
Replacement/rehab of the Avonmore Bridge that carries Route 156 over the Kiski River: $6 million.
Replacement/rehab of the Larimer Bridge that carries Route 993 over Brush Creek in North Huntingdon: $5.2 million.
Preservation of the Route 30 bridge over Edna Road in Hempfield: $8.2 million.
Preservation of the West Leechburg Bridge over the Kiski River: $5 million.
Improvements to the bridge carrying Route 366 over Route 380 in Murrysville: $17.5 million.
Rehabilitation of the bridge carrying White Cloud Road over Route 56 in Allegheny Township: $5.1 million.

Additional projects proposed

Other proposed long-term Westmoreland projects:

Reconstruction of Route 66 from Route 22 north to the county line: $21.6 million.
Reconfiguration of North Greengate Road in the vicinity of the railroad overpass in Hempfield: $15.5 million.
Route 130 corridor review and improvements: $10 million.
Improvements on Route 119 from the vicinity of the former Sony plant to Youngwood and from Youngwood to the Route 30 interchange: $137 million.
Restoration of Route 119 in the area of the West Tec Drive exit: $4.5 million.
Pavement preservation on Route 286 between the Allegheny County and Indiana County lines: $13.3 million.
Preservation of Route 366 from the Allegheny County line to Route 66: $7.2 million.

Public transit addressed

SPC’s plan also calls for investing $408 million in public transit in Westmoreland County through 2050. Some proposed projects include a preventive maintenance program for Westmoreland Transit buses, at a cost of $16.5 million; resurfacing of a 245-space Park & Ride lot at Carpenter Lane and Route 30 in North Huntingdon, $3.7 million; and upgrading the fare collection system, $275,000.

Senior transit planner David Totten said the SPC is working on a regional mobile ticketing study that could be ready for review in August. He said it is examining the feasibility for neighboring authorities, including Westmoreland Transit and Pittsburgh Regional Transit, to “work together, maybe at the back office level, so that there would be interoperability between transit tickets.

“You could really make a trip across the whole region on public transit.”

D’Andrea said the SPC also has identified potential multimodal hub locations across the region, “where multiple transit agencies could come together to transfer folks.”

It’s working on a detailed study of one of those proposed hub sites, near the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, he said.

Comment deadline near

The long range transportation plan is set to be finalized by June 26, with public comments accepted through Friday, June 9.

Comments can be submitted via email to comments@spcregion.org. For more information, visit spcregion.org.

Indiana Gazette: SPC returns to White Township to hear local transportation opinions

The public is getting another chance to voice their opinions about the Southwestern Pennsylvania Transportation Improvement Program.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is hosting a public meeting for Indiana County residents to give their opinions on local transportation and infrastructure projects, on Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m. at PA CareerLink, 300 Indian Springs Road, White Township.

Indiana County officials and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation representatives also are scheduled to attend.

SPC is the area’s designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, responsible for transportation and infrastructure planning in a 10-county region around Pittsburgh.

As part of that role, SPC develops Long-Range Transportation Plans that provide the region with specific infrastructure and transportation initiatives that need addressed over the next 25 years.

SPC said the LRTP is implemented with a series of shorter-term investment plans, known as Transportation Improvement Programs.

In the current TIP period, 2025-2028, the commission said, more than $4.5 billion in state, federal, and local funds will be invested to improve the region’s transportation system.

Those unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting can still provide their opinions during a public comment period which runs until June 7, by writing either to comments@spcregion.org or SPC at PO Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, or by utilizing an online comment form at spcregion.org/get-involved/.

View the full article at indianagazette.com.

Vicites Elected Chairman of Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

Greene County Commissioner McClure will serve as Vice-Chair; Indiana County Commissioner Dunlap is new Secretary-Treasurer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2025

PITTSBURGH, Pa – Earlier today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the federally-designated regional commission for transportation and economic development, elected Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites as its new Chairman for calendar years 2026 and 2027. Commissioner Betsy McClure of Greene County was elected Vice-Chair, and Commissioner Bonni Dunlap of Indiana County was elected as its Secretary-Treasurer. Vicites replaces outgoing Chairman Commissioner Pat Fabian of Armstrong County, whose term expires at the end of the year.

As Chairman, Commissioner Vicites will lead the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)’s designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the ten counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the City of Pittsburgh – responsible for oversight, planning, and programming of nearly $40 Billion in transportation funds through 2050. SPC is also the region’s Local Development District and Economic Development District, both of which facilitate access to funding and technical support related to economic and workforce development.

“I am honored to represent the region and my fellow county and city leaders as the new Chairman of SPC,” Vicites said. “SPC is the only place where all of us come together to plan for our region’s success, and I’m excited to continue the forward momentum Southwestern Pennsylvania has experienced over the past few years.”

Vicites’ priorities as Chairman include preserving and expanding the region’s transportation infrastructure, securing additional federal and state investment in the region, and ensuring the region is prepared to welcome new business, including in emerging markets like Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

At Monday’s meeting, the Commission also named two new members to its Executive Committee: Commissioner Tony Amadio of Beaver County and Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor of the City of Pittsburgh.

Contact: DJ Ryan
412-478-1928
DJRyan@spcregion.org

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Notes To Editor: The official biographies for all three officers are appended below.

Commission Officer Bios

Vince Vicites, Chairman (Fayette County)

Commissioner Vince Vicites is the Chairman-elect of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. Chairman-elect Vicites will take office on January 1st, 2026. He previously served two years as the Vice-Chair and two years as Secretary-Treasurer. He is a Fayette County Commissioner and currently serves as the County’s Vice-Chair.

Born and raised in Uniontown, Vince is a graduate of Laurel Highlands High School. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He continued his education and earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources from St. Francis University.

Commissioner Vicites’ extensive background in county government spans nearly 30 years. As former Fayette County Recycling Coordinator, he started the Hard to Recycle Events at Fayette County Fairgrounds that have continued for over 30 years. By lobbying State and Federal Employees, Vince was instrumental in creating or retaining over 10,000 jobs during his tenure in office and helped secure $200 million in economic and infrastructure projects. He has been involved with many business and government organizations at the city, county and state level. He continues to work to make Fayette County better now and for future generations.

Commissioner Vicites is a member of St. Therese Church in Uniontown and is a member of many civic and community organizations. He resides in South Union with his wife Kelly. His son Nick, son Joey, and his wife Arial reside in Uniontown.

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Betsy McClure, Vice-Chair (Greene County)

Commissioner Betsy McClure is the Vice-Chair-elect of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. She will assume office January 1st, 2026. Vice-Chair-elect McClure previously served two years as SPC’s Secretary-Treasurer. She has served as a Greene County Commissioner for six years and is a lifelong resident of Greene County.

A Registered Nurse by profession, Commissioner McClure has dedicated more than 25 years to the nursing field. She earned her BSN from Waynesburg University and her master’s in education from California University of Pennsylvania

Her goal as County Commissioner is straightforward: to make Greene County a better place to live for all residents. She maintains an open-door policy and firmly believes that if something is important to you, it is important to her. She strives every day to work for the people she represents.

Commissioner McClure serves on the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) Board of Directors and is the Chair of CCAP’s Human Services Committee. In addition, she is a member of the Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission.

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Bonni Dunlap, Secretary-Treasurer (Indiana County)

Dr. Bonni Dunlap is the Secretary-Treasurer-elect of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and will take office January 1st, 2026. A County Commissioner representing Indiana County, she brings over 35 years of experience in county government to her position at SPC.

Commissioner Dunlap has spent her entire career in service to the residents of Indiana County. She most notably served as the longtime Director of Human Services for the County, where she facilitated numerous programs to better serve some of Indiana County’s most vulnerable populations. She also served as the Director of the Indiana County Housing Authority, where she was responsible for the administration of public housing in the County and coordinated housing for hundreds of local families.

A noted expert in human services, Commissioner Dunlap holds a Ph.D and Master’s Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has served on the faculty at IUP and Westmoreland County Community College. She also serves on several boards and organizations in her home county. As a former Indiana County Auditor, she recognizes the importance of responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. She is excited to serve as an officer of SPC and to work with her fellow county leaders and SPC staff to facilitate continued growth for the region.

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About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, more commonly known as SPC, is the cooperative forum for regional collaboration, planning, and public decision-making for the ten counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania including the City of Pittsburgh. SPC develops plans and programs for public investment and fulfills federal and state requirements for transportation, economic development, and local government assistance programs.

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The Daily Courier: Vicites advances through SPC leadership

Fayette County Commissioner Vice Chairman Vincent A. Vicites was elected vice chairman of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission for a two-year term.

With more than 60 members, including an executive committee, the SPC is a forum for regional collaboration, planning and public decision-making; focused on transportation, development, information systems and more.

Vicites has been part of the SPC for more than 17 years, and a member of its executive committee for more than a decade. He most recently served as secretary/treasurer of SPC from 2022 until becoming vice chairman this week.

“It’s a great honor to be selected by my fellow county commissioners in the 10-county region and the City of Pittsburgh to continue to serve in the leadership of a metropolitan planning organization,” Vicites said. “We’ve accomplished many projects and reached major milestones in my time with SPC, and I look forward to continuing that momentum.”

During his tenure, Vicites has worked to secure funding for a number of local projects, including $60 million for the new Masontown Bridge Construction in 2010, with discretionary money from the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation.

“I was also able to convince my commissioner colleagues to advance the Mon-Fayette Expressway project to completion in Pittsburgh, after it had been tabled at a prior SPC meeting in 2017,” Vicites said. “That project is paramount to continued success in not only Fayette County, but the entire region.”

The commission operates with public involvement and trust to develop plans and programs for public investments; and fulfill federal and state requirements for transportation, economic development and local government assistance programs.

As the region’s official metropolitan planning organization, SPC directs the use of state and federal transportation and economic development funds allocated to the region – about $35 billion through 2045. In addition to Fayette County, the commission includes the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Green, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Vicites said he hopes his second-in-command office will allow him to better position Fayette County for growth and opportunities.

“I’m most looking forward to continuing my work on our ongoing transportation and infrastructure projects,” Vicites said. “In this role, I can ensure Fayette County gets its fair share of the funding, in order to maximize our local development.”

To learn more about the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, visit www.spcregion.org.

View the full article at dailycourier.com.

Rich Fitzgerald Named the New Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

Pittsburgh, PA—The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s (SPC) Board of Directors has named Rich Fitzgerald as the organization’s new Executive Director. Fitzgerald will officially assume this role on Jan. 2, 2024 once his tenure as Allegheny County Executive concludes. As the federally certified metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and local development district (LDD) serving 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, SPC plans for the continued growth of the region.

“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,” said Rich Fitzgerald, SPC’s incoming Executive Director. “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.”

As the incoming executive director, Fitzgerald will lead a team of 50 staff members. The organization has seven departments which include: economic and workforce development; transportation planning; strategic initiatives and policy; information and data; finance; human resources; and communications and public relations. It acts as a cooperative forum for collaboration, planning, and decision-making. The organization’s staff members develop public investment plans and programs, and ensure that federal and state transportation requirements are being met.

“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.”

Fitzgerald will bring many years of executive leadership experience to SPC. Prior to serving as Allegheny County’s Chief Executive, Fitzgerald was a County Council member for 11 years, including being elected four times as Council President. He has served as Allegheny County Executive since 2012. During his tenure as County Executive, Fitzgerald was focused on growing and diversifying the economy, retaining and attracting younger workers, investing in transportation and infrastructure, and improving the county’s public services.

Before entering public service, Fitzgerald spent many years in the private sector. He founded and ran his own business, a water treatment services and equipment company. He grew up in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhood before attending Carnegie Mellon University. There, he earned a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in business. He and his wife live in Squirrel Hill and are the proud parents of eight adult children.

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

The Board of Directors will officially welcome Rich Fitzgerald as SPC’s new Executive Director at the organization’s next Commission meetings on Dec.11. The organization’s current Executive Director, Vincent Valdes, will retire at the end of this year.

Media Inquiries: Caitlin O’Connor
Cell: 412-719-5366
coconnor@spcregion.org

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About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and local development district (LDD) serving Southwestern Pennsylvania. The organization’s coverage area includes Allegheny including the City of Pittsburgh, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. It is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic development priorities for the region.

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Transportation

Our organization works with our planning partners to develop and adopt the region’s long range transportation plan (LRP), SmartMoves and a short range Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Our goal is to provide accessibility and mobility in a safe, efficient and effective manner for our region.

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Browse SPC’s plans, studies and reports

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Southwestern Pa. set to receive billions in transportation infrastructure improvements

Southwestern Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure is slated to receive a slew of expansions, updates and remodels after officials approved a regional transportation improvement plan at a meeting Monday.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission approved about $6 billion in funding over a four-year period as part of the 10-county region’s plan to improve its transportation infrastructure, according to a 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) investment summary.

The program’s summary includes $740 million for bridge maintenance, $2.2 billion for roads, $186 million for buses and passenger vehicles and $420 million for operations and safety projects.

“The consideration of the TIP would be looking at how are we an advancing and resilient community,” Leslie Osche, the body’s commissioner, said in an interview Monday.

She added that the four-year TIP plan is part of a 25-year vision to improve Southwestern Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure to make it more resilient, connected and competitive.

The TIP, which was unanimously approved by the body Monday, is set to provide funding to rehabilitate or reconstruct 266 bridges and 466 miles of roadway in the region, the commission’s summary report states.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission region represents Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The report states that the funding will also focus on serving low-income and minority communities that new transportation construction like highways have historically fractured.

Ms. Osche said the improvements will give people fairer access to transportation.

The SCP has scheduled about $740 million for bridge maintenance across the region. The planned improvements include the Karns Crossing Bridge in Butler County, the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge in Allegheny County and the U.S. 422 Graff Bridge in Armstrong County.

Read the full article at postgazette.com

Butler Eagle: Butler County residents asked to chime in on transportation plan

In June 2019, the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission — the metropolitan planning organization for the area that includes Butler County — adopted a long-range transportation plan called “SmartMoves for a Changing Region.” The 25-year plan called for $35 billion in transportation and infrastructure improvements in the commission’s 10-county area.

Federal law requires planning organizations to update the plan at least every four years. As part of these efforts, the commission held a virtual meeting with residents of Butler County to gather public opinion on long-term transportation and infrastructure issues in the county.

The meeting for Butler County residents was the 10th out of 11 scheduled public meetings on the plan, with another held for the city of Pittsburgh.

The SmartMoves update is currently in the 30-day public comment period, and the commission is hoping to finalize the update by June 26.

“Public involvement is very critical and is the beginning and ending of the process to update the long range transportation plan,“ said Ryan Gordon, commission manager of Transportation Program Development.

Projects in the long-range transportation plan are divided into three stages. Stage 1 is for projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) which are projected for completion within the next three years. Stages 2 and 3 are for projects with much wider scope and are “much more conceptual in nature,” and are scheduled for completion between 2027 and 2050.

“We are going to have a number of TIP updates before we even get to 2035,” Gordon said. “So just keep in mind that this time frame represents numerous TIP updates and extends all the way to 2050.”

According to Gordon, many projects in the SmartMoves plan are still in Stage 2 or 3. However, some improvement projects in Butler County have moved from Stage 2 to the Stage 1. These include series of safety improvement projects along Route 228, such as the Balls Bend improvement project and the Three Degree Road intersection improvement.

Other projects currently in the Stage 1 phase include signal replacements along Route 68, as well as improvements to various small bridges in Butler County such as the Geibel Road bridge in Summit Township and Callery Bridge in Callery.

The commission is seeking additional funding for projects to improve the Karns Crossing Bridge and the Picklegate Crossing viaduct, among other bridges and roadways.

“Bridges continue to be a large percentage of the investment in the region, and Butler County is no different,” Gordon said.

After meeting with the Butler Transit Authority, the commission identified transit needs for the county which it estimates will amount to $108 million over the life of the SmartMoves plan. This includes $73.1 million in operating and maintenance costs, $32.2 million for buses and other vehicles, and $2.7 million for facilities.

Projects high on the priority list include two more park-and-ride facilities for commuter service direct to Pittsburgh — one in Evans City and one on Stevenson Road in Renfrew. Combined, these would cost $3.75 million to design and construct. $120,000 has also been budgeted for bus shelter upgrades.

The commission is still allowing the public to submit comments on the SmartMoves plan until Friday, June 9. Comments can be submitted by email at comments@spcregion.org or by fax at 412-391-9160.

View the full story at butlereagle.com

Cranberry Eagle: Butler County residents asked to chime in on transportation plan