Rich Fitzgerald has a new job once his term as Allegheny County executive ends.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s board of directors announced Thursday that Fitzgerald has been named the new executive director for SPC, which serves 10 counties around Pittsburgh including Indiana, Armstrong and Westmoreland.

SPC, the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district serving the Pittsburgh region, said it was planning for the continued growth of the region.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince (Valdes) for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Fitzgerald said in a release issued by the commission.

Valdes is retiring at the end of this year.

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

Fitzgerald has served on the SPC’s executive committee, with such officials as Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess, Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes, and Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian who is that committee’s vice chairman.

“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 the chairman of the executive committee, Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche. “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 be welcomed as executive director of the commission when it meets on Dec. 11 at 4 p.m. at The Terminal in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

The commission said Fitzgerald will lead a team of 50 staff members in seven departments, including economic and workforce development; transportation planning; strategic initiatives and policy; information and data; finance; human resources; and communications and public relations.

SPC acts as a cooperative forum for collaboration, planning, and decision-making.

An example of that is a year-long process of developing a Transportation Improvement Plan for the region, which began Oct. 26 in White Township, with the first of a series of public meetings, that were both a status update about the 2023-26 TIP and an introduction to what will become the 2025-28 TIP.

A countywide TIP meeting also was held earlier this month for Westmoreland County in Greensburg. Future meetings including sessions Thursday at the Middlesex Township Municipal Building in Valencia, Butler County, and Dec. 8 at Butler County Community College’s Ford City campus for Armstrong County.

SPC also covers Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties.

Fitzgerald’s new staff includes those who develop public investment plans and programs, and ensure that federal and state transportation requirements are being met.

Fitzgerald served three terms as Allegheny County executive, and will be succeeded by former state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Pittsburgh. He also previously served on the Allegheny County Council for 11 years, including being elected four times as council president.

Before his time in public service, Fitzgerald founded and ran a water treatment services and equipment company. He grew up in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhood before attending Carnegie Mellon University.

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

Read the full article at indianagazette.com.

Rich Fitzgerald, Tony Amadio and Leslie Osche
Elected Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer

Pittsburgh—The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) Board has elected Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald as its new Chairman, Beaver County Commissioner Tony Amadio as Vice Chairman, and Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche as Secretary-Treasurer. The team will play integral roles in coordinating economic development and transportation infrastructure investment decisions in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“County Executive Fitzgerald, Commissioner Amadio and Commissioner Osche will be a strong team for the challenges ahead. SPC is the place to make real progress and this team knows the value of coming together at the regional table,” said Jim Hassinger, SPC Executive Director.

SPC’s new Chairman, Mr. Fitzgerald, is in his third and final term as Allegheny County Executive. Widely recognized for his work ethic, Rich is also well known for bringing together people and organizations on regional issues.

“The region has a diverse economy which relies heavily upon the transportation infrastructure,” Fitzgerald said. “Working together through the SPC and other unique partnerships, we will continue to advocate for transportation funding at the federal and state levels and lobby the state for other revenue options for our counties to provide investments in their own infrastructure to meet our local goals.”

In addition to serving as Chair of the SPC, County Executive Fitzgerald also holds a number of statutory board appointments and memberships, is a member of the board of the County Executives of America and the Remake Learning Council and is part of the National Association of County Officials (NACo) Large Urban County Caucus.

Beaver County Commissioner Tony Amadio has been elected as SPC’s Vice Chairman. Tony Amadio took office for his first term as a Beaver County Commissioner on January 4, 2008 and was honored to be selected as Chairman of the Board of the Beaver County Commissioners at that time. A career public servant, Mr. Amadio brings over three decades of experience as a teacher and twenty-four years of experience as a township supervisor to the Beaver County Courthouse.

Commissioner Amadio helped successfully negotiate the building of a multi-billion dollar petrochemical complex in Beaver County, which in turn prompted additional development. This helped bring thousands of construction jobs to the county. In addition, he worked closely with PennDOT and other officials to ensure the completion of Crow’s Run Road, a more efficient route from Beaver County to Cranberry Township.

Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche has been elected as SPC’s Secretary-Treasurer. Commissioner Osche is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the County of Butler. Her career spans 30 years in non-profit leadership serving in executive roles with United Way of Butler County, Butler County Chamber of Commerce, St. Barnabas Health System, Lifesteps, Inc. and the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh. She is a graduate of Butler High School and Duquesne University with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Honors English.

As Commissioner, she also serves on the Executive Board of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board. She is a member of the Board of Fellows for the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics. She represents the Board of Commissioners on the Area Agency on Aging Committee; Parks and Recreation Committee; Children and Youth Advisory Board and the Emergency Communications Council. She and her fellow Commissioners were recently awarded the inaugural “Moe Coleman Let’s Work Together” Award, along with County Executive Fitzgerald, for demonstration of civil discourse and non-partisan cooperation.

–XXX–

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the region’s forum for collaboration, planning and public decision-making. As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the ten-county region including the City of Pittsburgh and the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland, SPC is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funds allocated to the region. As the Local Development District (LDD) and Economic Development District for Southwestern Pennsylvania (as designated by the U.S. Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce), SPC establishes regional economic development priorities and provides a wide range of public services to the region.

Full Official Release

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding $1,802,060 in grant funding to support two trail projects in Allegheny County. The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (RAAC) will receive $1 million to support the expansion of the Panhandle Trail Extension and South Fayette Township will receive $802,060 in funding to make improvements along the Fairview Park Trail Network.

“We are thankful to the SPC for its commitment to trail building throughout our region,” said County Executive Sara Innamorato. “We look forward to working on securing the expansion of the Panhandle trail so that residents and visitors have access to trail systems that contribute to our economy and quality of life.”

SPC recently completed the selection process for its discretionary competitive grant program which selects certain projects in the region to receive federal funding. The organization has a selection committee that reviews grant applications submitted from counties and municipalities within its coverage area. The grant applications are then competitively reviewed and scored to ensure that these projects adhere to federal standards.    

“A lot of thoughtful planning and development went into making South Fayette Township the thriving community that it is today but there is still work we have to do,” Chuck Lazzini, President of the Board of Commissioners for South Fayette Township. “We are thankful to SPC for recognizing and valuing the merits of our grant application and awarding us with this funding. This grant nicely complements our Active Transportation Plan and will go far to improve outdoor recreational opportunities for our residents.”

As the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Local Development District (LDD), and Economic Development District (EDD), SPC receives an allotment of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation that it can award to entities that have improvement projects which qualify under three areas: Congestion Mitigation Air Quality program (CMAQ), Carbon Reduction program (CRP), and the Transportation Alternatives Set Aside (TASA) program.

The CMAQ and CRP programs accept applications from counties and municipalities that have projects which will help to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Eligible initiatives under these two programs can include pedestrian and bicycle facility projects, transit improvement programs, electric vehicles and charging stations, congestion reduction and traffic flow improvements, and diesel engine retrofitting/replacements. The TASA program accepts applications from counties and municipalities for projects that support transportation alternatives, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improving access to public transportation, enhanced mobility, recreational trails, safe routes to schools, and environmental mitigation. 

“We are fortunate to have trails like the Panhandle and Fairview Park Network that provide not only wonderful recreational opportunities for residents, but serve as anchors for economic growth,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “Fostering this area of economic development is how we holistically support our local communities while also ensuring that we protect and preserve our environment.”

Outdoor recreation is a critical sector in the state’s economy. In 2021, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), outdoor recreation added $14 billion to the state’s economy which included nearly $1.3 billion that was spent on trips, trailside businesses, lodging, and hospitality establishments.

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

###

About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), local development district (LDD), and economic development district (EDD) serving 10 counties. 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/workforce development priorities for the region.

PRESS RELEASE DOWNLOAD (PDF)

CMAQ | TA Set- Aside | Carbon Reduction Program

SPC 2025 Competitive Funding Pre-Application and Program Guidance

SPC is pleased to announce the opening of the next application round of Competitive funding programs. Links to the program guidance for this cycle (2025) and the pre-application are provided below. Sponsors who are submitting a pre-application will need to contact Greg Shermeto, gshermeto@spcregion.org to obtain a user name and password for SPC’s application submittal page.

View the webinar recorded June 10th, 2025 HERE

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program provides funds for transportation projects and programs that will contribute to attainment or maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM).

The CMAQ program supports two important goals of the federal Department of Transportation: improving air quality and relieving congestion. The program provisions emphasize cost-effective emission reduction and congestion mitigation activities when using CMAQ funding.

The application period for the next round of CMAQ funding will open in June of 2025. Interested applicants can find the full guidance and application information on this site or by contacting Ryan Gordon rgordon@spcregion.org for more information.

Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program

The Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) Program provides funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities; infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility; environmental mitigation; recreational trail program projects; and, safe routes to school projects.

Though run concurrently, our TA application and grant process is separate from the state PennDOT process. Projects may receive funding from both programs, but will need to fill out two separate applications. 

The next round of TA funding will open up in June of 2025. Interested applicants can find the full guidance and application information on the site, or contact Greg Shermeto, gshermeto@spcregion.org for more information.

For information on the PennDOT Transportation Set-Aside program please use the following link: https://www.penndot.pa.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Pages/Transportation%20Alternatives%20Set-Aside%20-%20Surface%20Trans.%20Block%20Grant%20Program.aspx

Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)

The Carbon Reduction Program CRP provides funding to reduce transportation carbon emissions through the development of State carbon reduction strategies and by funding projects designed to reduce transportation carbon emissions (See 23 U.S.C. 175 as established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Public Law 117-58, also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” (BIL)) (BIL § 11403).

The application period for the next round of CRP funding will open in June of 2025. Interested applicants can find the full guidance and application information on this site or by contacting Ryan Gordon rgordon@spcregion.org for more information.

Other Resources

• Fall 2025 Transportation and Community Funding Programs
• Local Bridge Funding Guidebook
• Local Bridge Workshop Presentation (May 12, 2022)
• District 10 Local Bridge Workshop
• District 11 Local Bridge Workshop Presentation

As part of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) that the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) manages, the organization is hosting a public meeting for Beaver County residents on Thursday, May 11, so they can provide their opinions on local, long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is the region’s designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and works closely with the ten counties, including Beaver County, located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. In June 2019, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission adopted the region’s official long-range transportation plan called SmartMoves for a Changing Region, which included over $35 billion for the region’s transportation priorities over 25 years. As part of the organization’s efforts to periodically update the plan, it hosts meetings for the public to learn about our region’s long-term transportation and infrastructure challenges and provide their opinions on these issues.

If a member of the public is not able to attend the meeting, but would still like to provide their opinion on a transportation and/or infrastructure issue that they would like to see addressed, they are invited to submit their comments during the public comment period which runs from May 11-June 9. Members of the public can submit their comments by email at comments@spcregion.org, completing an online form, by fax at 412-391-9160, or mailing comments to Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at PO Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

WHEN:
Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 2 p.m.

WHO:
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission staff members
Beaver County officials
PennDOT representatives

WHERE:
Virtual (click the link below to access the meeting)
https://spcregion.webex.com/spcregion/j.php?MTID=mc0b999ea1c4abb6d0ba16a29b111aa96

View the full article at beavercountyradio.com

More than $1 billion could be spent on infrastructure and transportation projects in Washington, Greene, Fayette and Westmoreland counties over the next 27 years, officials from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) said Monday.

In a public meeting Monday at the Courthouse Square Building, representatives of the SPC said that two marquee projects in the county would be straightening out a curve on a portion of Interstate 70 that has seen several rollover truck crashes, and an adaptive signaling project on Route 19 that will pick up on traffic patterns, coordinate red lights, and allow for smoother traffic flow.

The SPC is the region’s metropolitan planning organization and it works with the 10 counties in the Pittsburgh metropolitan region, sending state and federal funds to infrastructure projects. Right now, the organization is updating “SmartMoves For a Changing Region,” the long-range transportation plan it adopted in 2019, and is hosting public meetings in each of the 10 counties to outline transportation priorities for both the short term and the long run and gather feedback from residents.

The SPC has divided projects into three phases: the first is for projects that are actively in the works and are slated to be carried out between now and 2026; a second, mid-term range, which stretches from 2027 to 2034; and a long-range phase that begins in 2035 and concludes in 2050. Overall, $35 billion will be spent on transportation and infrastructure projects in the region until the midpoint of the century, according to the SPC.

Throughout the region, bridges have been a specific focus, particularly in the wake of the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, according to Ryan Gordon, SPC’s manager of transportation program development.

“Bridges continue to receive the highest degree of funding in the region,” he said.

Dominic D’Andrea, the SPC’s transportation planning director, amplified that point, saying that “we made a lot of progress on our bridges in the last 10 years. But there’s still a lot of work to do.” He added that the number of unsafe bridges has been halved during that time.

For instance, a $25 million project to preserve the Brownsville High Level Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 40 over the Monongahela River, is set for some time between 2027 and 2034. More than $3 million has also been set aside for work on the Donora-Monessen High Level Bridge between 2027 and 2034.

The SPC has scheduled a public meeting for Fayette County at the former Gallatin Bank Building on West Main Street in Uniontown on Wednesday, May 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. In Greene County, the meeting has been set for Thursday, June 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Greene County Career & Technology Center on Zimmerman Drive in Waynesburg.

Additional information is available at www.spcregion.org.

View the full article at observer-reporter.com

Indiana County Office of Planning & Development Executive Director Byron G. Stauffer Jr. opened a Thursday public meeting at PA CareerLink in White Township conducted by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to gather feedback from area residents about long-term local transportation and infrastructure challenges. Seated at left is Ryan Gordon, SPC’s manager of Transportation Program Development.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is in the homestretch of developing a Long-Range Transportation Plan that would update its 2019 “SmartMoves for a Changing Region.”

As adopted in June 2019, the SPC plan focused on more than $35 billion in programs and projects for the 10-county region’s transportation priorities over 25 years.

“We are thinking as a region, not just Indiana County,” said Indiana County Office of Planning & Development Executive Director Byron G. Stauffer Jr., who started off a two-hour public meeting about that plan Thursday at the PA CareerLink offices in White Township.

It was one of a series of meetings being held across the southwest corner of the state by SPC, which also covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties, and the city of Pittsburgh.

As that plan is evolving toward approval next month, “there aren’t a lot of big changes here,” said Ryan Gordon, SPC’s manager of Transportation Program Development.

However, there were two significant ones over the past four years, Gordon said — the COVID-19 pandemic, and the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into law by President Biden in November 2021.

From Indiana County, SPC board members include Stauffer, Commissioners R. Michael Keith, Robin A. Gorman and Sherene Hess, and Indiana County Chamber of Commerce President Mark Hilliard. Hess also serves on the board of SPC’s affiliate, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation.

There were questions from some among the approximately three dozen participants, on topics ranging from passenger rail service to Homer City, to upgrading state Route 286 between Clymer and U.S. Route 219 in Cambria County, to traffic signals in Indiana.

As Indiana Borough Council President Peter Broad said to a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 10 official in the audience, “I didn’t get any sense that people were listening,” as PennDOT took out the traffic signal on Philadelphia and 11th streets in downtown Indiana.

As PennDOT District 10 Planning and Program Manager Harold Swan insisted after the meeting, “we want to work in coordination with our municipalities.”

While there has been a continuing emphasis on improving the U.S. Route 422 link between Indiana and the Route 28 interchange near Kittanning, some, including Keith, wondered about a similar improvement for state Route 286 in rural eastern Indiana and western Cambria counties.

“It is a key connection to (U.S. Route) 219 and (Interstate) 80,” said Indiana County Planning Commission member Laurie LaFontaine of White Township. “Once you leave Clymer, (286) is an awful road.”

Homer City Mayor Arlene Wanatosky brought up the railroad issue in light of the planned shutdown this summer of Homer City Generation L.P.’s power plant next door in Center Township.

“Are those tracks going to be maintained?” she asked.

Stauffer said it was too early to see what will unfold, but said efforts are being made to aid areas affected by the pending shutdown.

Wanatosky also suggested that those tracks could be used for passenger rail traffic, connecting Indiana County with the train service that goes through Greensburg.

The meeting also featured a slide presentation, that included projects that will be included in that long-range plan, such as:

• Preservation of the Buena Vista Bridge carrying state Route 56 over Blacklick Creek in East Wheatfield Township (which has been renamed for Specialist Beverly S. Clark, who died in the Scud missile attack on the U.S. Army’s 14th Quartermaster Detachment in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Gulf War).
• The First Sergeant Alexander Kelly Memorial Bridge, carrying state Route 286 over the Kiskiminetas River between Saltsburg and Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County, and named for a Saltsburg native who won the Medal of Honor for his service in the Union Army during the Civil War.
• U.S. Route 119 bridges over state Route 8001 (ramp to Business Route 422) and Hamill Road, both in White Township, as well as the Route 119 Indiana Bypass reconstruction, and Sullivan and Lutz School Road bridges.
• U.S. Route 422 bridges over Ben Franklin and Indian Springs roads and Old Route 119, all in White Township, as well as Route 422 between the Armstrong County line and the Indiana Bypass.
• U.S. Route 22 through Penn View, Blairsville and Armagh Bypass areas.
• Wayne Avenue safety project in the Indiana area.

There also was a summary of $173.76 million in planned projects involving Indiana County Transit Authority, or IndiGO, including more than $140 million for operations and maintenance, as well as funding for vehicles, bus stops and parking lots.

It was hardly a full listing — as was pointed out from the audience Thursday, one project not included is the widening of Oakland Avenue, a $19.83 million project that is expected to continue through the end of this year.

SPC plans other meetings such as that for Indiana County, including gatherings on May 23 at Butler County Community College’s Ford City campus, 1100 Fourth Ave., Ford City, for Armstrong County, and on May 30 for Westmoreland County in the Commissioners Public Meeting Room at the county courthouse along North Main Street in Greensburg.

View the full article at indianagazette.com

After more than eight years of limited funding, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will have $1.7 billion available for regional roads and bridges over the next two years due to increased federal funding, the most since 2015-16.

At a public hearing Wednesday on how to spend the funds in Allegheny County, Dom D’Andrea, SPC’s director of transportation, outlined the expected financing. Overall, including funds for public transit and alternative projects such as trails, the agency expects to have $3.1 billion to allocate over the next two years.

Under federal regulations, the regional planning group sets transportation spending priorities for the 10-county region. It oversees a 25-year long-range plan and a series of four-year plans that must be updated every two years, and hearings are underway to develop the two-year plan that will be adopted next June.

D’Andrea said the region expects a funding increase of about 7% over the next two years, mostly federal funds from the Biden administration’s infrastructure program. That will return funding to the level of 2015-16, which D’Andrea said is a positive step but noted that inflation has eaten up much of the benefits from the increase.

In addition to flat federal funding in recent years, the state Department of Transportation decided in 2021 to shift $3.15 billion through 2028 from local roads across the state to interstate highways. Officials said they feared federal officials might pull federal funding if they didn’t make a special effort to improve conditions on the interstates.

The additional stimulus funds this year will help to replace that money.

For the new plan, about 43% of the funds will be earmarked for bridges and 23% for roads. D’Andrea said the region has cut the number of bridges in poor condition in half over the past 15 years, but they still account for about 10% of all bridges and another 62% are considered fair.

“Yes, we keep investing in bridges,” he said. “We have cut our poor bridges in half, but there’s more to do …. We’re still attacking the bridge issue.”

The Transportation Improvement Program also will include about $1.4 billion for transit and other programs. Ryan Gordon, SPC’s transportation manager, said the allocation of funds for other programs will be presented to the board for approval next month.

Those programs include congestion management and air quality, transportation alternatives such as bike lanes and trails, and a new carbon reduction program.

Wednesday’s hearing was one of a series that will be held in each county and Pittsburgh as the agency develops the priorities for the region. It will present a proposed spending plan in May and hold another series of hearings before the board votes on the plan in June.

Even once the plan is adopted, the agency will hold monthly meetings to make adjustments as some additional projects are ready for construction and others are slower to develop.

“It’s really a living, breathing document that changes all the time,” D’Andrea said.

The commission covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland counties and Pittsburgh.

View the full article at unionprogress.com

By Mason Fish
SPC
1/30/2026

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

At its core, the Long Range Plan is a guide that helps the region prepare for change and serves as a strategic roadmap for making smart future investments. 

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is recognized as both the region’s Economic Development District by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Local Development District for the Appalachian Regional Commission. These roles let SPC bring together counties, towns, employers, educators, and residents to set priorities and coordinate resources across the region. 

In 2019, SPC combined the Long Range Transportation Plan and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy into a single comprehensive plan. This approach recognizes the close link between economic development and transportation access and aims to deliver better results for the entirety of the region. 

Why Does It Matter? 

The Long Range Plan is designed to address a central question: What does Southwestern Pennsylvania require to remain as a strong, competitive, and livable region over the coming decades? 

The economic development side of the plan, called the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), is mandated by the federal government and helps the region qualify for funding. However, CEDS is also very strategy-driven in its aim to make the economy stronger and more resilient. It brings together public agencies, businesses, schools, and community groups to find the best ways to support the region’s economy. 

The transportation portion of the plan examines how people and goods move throughout the region. It covers roads, bridges, public transit, freight, and emerging transportation technologies. It also acknowledges a reality faced by every region: there will never be enough funding to do everything at once. Long range planning helps ensure that limited dollars are prioritized and spent where they can have the greatest impact. 

Together, these parts create a plan for regional growth, better infrastructure, and more opportunity. 

Understanding Both Sides 

Like many regions, Southwestern Pennsylvania is constantly undergoing demographic and economic changes. Since 2010, the region has experienced population decline, and several counties now have more residents over age 65 than youth. Nearly one-quarter of the population is past retirement age, resulting in workforce shortages across multiple industries. 

At the same time, the region produces tens of thousands of college graduates annually, yet a large percentage relocates elsewhere. Employers report challenges in filling open positions, even as sectors such as energy, healthcare, technology, and advanced manufacturing continue to evolve. 

The CEDS part of the Long Range Plan addresses these issues by building capacity. This means improving things like affordable housing, utilities, broadband, and redevelopment sites, as well as workforce training, partnerships, and leadership skills. 

This process helps communities and partners work together to find the best investments for economic growth and long-term stability. The strategy is updated every five years to keep up with changes and stay eligible for federal programs. 

Moreover, strong transportation systems are essential for economic development. People need safe and reliable ways to get to work, businesses need efficient routes to move goods, and seniors need access to services that help them stay independent and connected. 

The transportation system in the SPC region is diverse and complex, serving urban, suburban, and rural communities. Maintaining this infrastructure presents ongoing challenges, especially as assets age and funding remains constrained. 

Additionally, remote and hybrid work are changing how people travel, with less traditional commuting and a greater need for broadband and flexible transportation. The Long Range Transportation Plan helps SPC and its partners focus on safety, system upkeep, and keeping everyone connected. Even though road deaths have gone down, the goal still remains zero. Every investment is made with the belief that any loss of life is unacceptable. 

At the same time, the rise of electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and data centers is driving higher demand for power, land, and infrastructure. Long range planning helps the region prepare for these changes proactively, instead of reacting after they happen. 

What This Means for Residents 

All in all, even though the Long Range Plan spans multiple decades, its impact is felt every single day. It influences how projects are prioritized, how funding decisions are made, and how communities prepare for the future. 

For residents, the plan influences several key aspects including but not limited to: 

• Access to jobs and training opportunities 
• Safe and reliable transportation options 
• Community redevelopment and infrastructure investment 
• Long term economic stability for the region 

By integrating economic development and transportation planning, SPC wants to help ensure that investments work together rather than in isolation. The result is a more coordinated approach to growth that reflects shared regional goals. 

Overall, long range planning is about more than just forecasts and data. It focuses on working together and getting ready for what’s to come. By keeping the public involved and building partnerships, SPC’s Long Range Plan helps the region stay connected and ready for whatever comes next. 

SPC Completes 3rd Cycle of Regional Traffic Signal Program

Nearly $4 Million in Upgrades to 148 Intersections

Pittsburgh, PA- The Southwestern Pennsylvania
Commission’s (SPC) award-winning Regional Traffic Signal Program is committed
to implementing projects with their federal, state, and local planning partners
that demonstrate innovation, coordination, and measurable results. Since 2008,
this program and its projects embody the implementation of safe and efficient
traffic operations, providing outstanding cost-savings, environmental, and
quality-of-life benefits to the communities and residents throughout the
10-county Southwestern Pennsylvania region. SPC, in cooperation with the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation (PennDOT), its planning partners, and local municipalities
across the region, has completed its third cycle of projects under the Regional
Traffic Signal Program.

Nationwide, these types of signal projects, on average, have yielded $20 to $40 of public benefit for every $1 invested—in part by making the most efficient use of the transportation infrastructure already in place.

Projects completed in the
third cycle of the program are listed below. In addition to traffic signal
retiming, improvements on some of the corridors included new energy efficient
LED signal indications, new communications equipment and new controlling
equipment to facilitate signal coordination. All third cycle projects were
substantially completed in 2019.

Projects completed in the third cycle included major
corridors such as US Route 19 and State Route 228 in the Cranberry area, State
Route 121 (Greentree Road) and US Route 30 in North Huntingdon.

Based on before and after studies conducted by the
program, the annual benefits derived from the completion of the third cycle of
projects include:

• Reduced vehicle hours of travel:  over 1.3 million
• Reduced fuel consumption: over 976,000 gallons
• Reduced total pollutant emissions: over 118 tons (Carbon
  Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, and Volatile Organic Compounds)
• Reduced number of vehicular stops: 18 million

Cumulatively, the third
cycle of projects provided $23 of public benefit for each $1 invested.
During the most congested periods of the day, the average reduction in
vehicular delay across all third cycle projects is 23%.

Municipalities
have also been appreciative of the results of the Regional Traffic Signal
Program. “The SINC-UP project that we did with SPC was a huge success for North
Huntingdon,” said Mike Turley, North Huntingdon Township Assistant Manager.
“With economic growth continuing along the US Route 30 corridor, we need to
make sure that our traffic signals are working efficiently and we are able to
do so with this program. Also, we were able to add an emergency preemption
system with this program that helps to reduce emergency response times.”

With the completion of three cycles of this program, SPC and its partners have invested nearly $11 million to improve 649 signalized intersections across 77 municipalities and every county in our region. Through the first three cycles of this program, results have yielded a $51 of public benefit for every $1 spent in terms of reduced delay, reduced vehicular stops, and reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

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The
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the region’s forum for
collaboration, planning and public decision-making. As the designated
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the ten-county region including
the City of Pittsburgh and the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver,
Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland, SPC
is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal
transportation funds allocated to the region. As the Local Development District
(LDD) and Economic Development District for Southwestern Pennsylvania (as
designated by the U.S. Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. Department
of Commerce), SPC establishes regional economic development priorities and
provides a wide range of public services to the region.