Pittsburgh, PA—The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding Kittanning Borough $500,000 in grant funding to support pedestrian and accessibility improvements for its streetscape project.

“Kittanning’s streetscape project is an ongoing initiative that has been a borough-driven initiative that the county fully supports,” said John Strate, Chair of the Armstrong County Commissioners. “The borough played significant role in our region’s history, and making these kinds of efforts to beautify and revitalize the downtown area for our residents and small business owners is another step in helping to grow the local economy.”

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding Greene County $946,083 in grant funding to support sidewalk and pedestrian safety improvements as part of the Waynesburg Commons  Multimodal Improvement Project. This project will make improvements around Commons Park near Waynesburg University safer for students and community residents that utilize the area.   

“The Waynesburg Commons Multimodal Improvement Project will enhance the livelihood of students that attend Waynesburg University and local residents that frequent the park,” said Jared Edgreen, Chairman of the Greene County Commissioners. “This park is a vital part of our community, and we want to ensure that anyone walking in or near it has safe sidewalks to use. We are grateful for SPC’s funding, as it will go a long way to ensuring this project comes to its full fruition.”

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

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding the City of Butler $1,545,356 in grant funding to support sidewalk and pedestrian safety improvements along downtown Main Street. This project will make improvements to sidewalks and crosswalks, and increase accessibility for both local students and residents. 

“The City of Butler is a vital part of our County’s economy and Main Street is frequented by all County residents,” said Leslie Osche, Chair of the Butler County Commissioners. “This funding will ensure that our sidewalks are safe for not only County residents and visitors, but our local students who use it as a way to get to and from their schools downtown—this project helps to ensure that their safety remains at the forefront of ongoing revitalization efforts.”

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.

From May 15-21, Individuals that Track their Commute Can Enter to Win Big Prizes.

Today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization, kicked off a one-week long Commuter Challenge—an effort to encourage local residents to take sustainable modes of transportation like carpooling, vanpooling, and biking.

The Commuter Challenge is an initiative of Commute Info, a ride sharing program that offers multiple solutions for individuals or businesses looking to travel in a more green, sustainable way.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) hosted the first of its kind, Regional Broadband & Connectivity Summit, bringing together regional stakeholders, industry and non-profit experts, and local, state and federal governments and agencies to address equitable and affordable access to high-speed broadband internet in southwestern Pennsylvania.

“The goal of this summit was to identify the region’s state of broadband access and affordability, discuss challenges and opportunities at the regional, state and federal level, and understand how local government, providers, and community institutions will need to work together to achieve digital equity and maximize broadband investments here in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche, who also chairs SPC.