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The NFL Draft is Almost Here – Your Complete Transportation Guide for the Event
By Mason Fish
SPC
3/31/2026
We are now less than 25 days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 24 to 26, and with hundreds of thousands of fans expected to descend on the city, getting there smartly could be just as important as getting there at all.
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) has played an important role in helping shape the regional transportation plan for this year's draft. As the designated metropolitan planning organization for the region, SPC has worked alongside partner organizations to coordinate a comprehensive approach to moving fans safely throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding region.
A key part of that effort was ensuring that fans from outside of Allegheny County had real options for getting into Pittsburgh efficiently. 10 regional transit agencies across southwestern Pennsylvania will provide expanded and connected service during draft week, with express routes, extended hours and connections to park and ride locations that link directly into Pittsburgh's transit system.
The draft's footprint spans two main areas: Point State Park on the Downtown side of the Allegheny River, and the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) and city officials have developed a comprehensive transportation plan to facilitate safe and efficient movement between the two sites, and in many cases, for free.
Read the Full Article
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SPC Hosts Expert Panel Session for 2027 Long Range Plan
On Monday, March 23rd, we had the privilege of hosting our first Expert Panel Session for the 2027 Long Range Plan in Butler County.
We are incredibly grateful to our commissioners, partners, and the many organizations from across the region who came out to be part of these important conversations. The breadth of representation in the room spoke volumes about the collective commitment to driving meaningful economic growth across our region.
Thank you to Steamfitters Local #449 for hosting us and thank you to every leader who showed up ready to make a difference. We look forward to continuing this work together!
This plan is for everyone — and we want to hear from you. Stay tuned for more upcoming public engagement opportunities. More details coming soon!
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SPC's Data Center Fact Finding Tour
Earlier this month, a delegation of 30 leaders from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, and McNees Government Relations traveled to Loudoun County, VA — the data center capital of the world.
The visit was part of a partnership between the three organizations to better understand the opportunities and challenges surrounding data center development.
From noise mitigation and zoning challenges to the significant tax revenue that supports local schools, the delegation explored the real-world impacts of this rapidly growing industry. The goal is to bring those lessons back to Southwestern Pennsylvania to help ensure the region grows responsibly.
As technology evolves faster than policy, partnerships like this help bridge the gap and prepare our communities for what’s ahead!
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Public Comment: Allegheny County Vision Zero
The full draft version of the Allegheny County Vision Zero plan is available now on the SPC website through April 10th for public comment: https://bit.ly/3NFBNRz
The plan sets a clear, countywide commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all roadways and was developed by SPC in partnership with PennDOT, Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT).
Comments may be submitted to comments@spcregion.org.
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Pittsburgh Regional Transit releases new draft of bus route overhaul
90.5 WESA | By Julia Fraser
March 3, 2026
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s latest draft of its updated bus routes aims to bolster its most popular routes and add more rides between communities throughout Allegheny County. The new plan would eliminate 13 current routes, but add nine new ones.
“It should look more like our existing network to our riders, especially for those routes that perform well,” said Emily Provonsha, manager of service development at PRT.
The new plan, called Bus Line Refresh, adds more routes with quicker service — 18 routes would have service every 20 minutes compared to 11 right now; 43 different routes would have buses arrive every half hour, up from 27 today.
Read more
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Pittsburgh to launch red-light camera program at 6 high-risk intersections this summer
WPXI.com | By News Staff
March 3, 2026
PITTSBURGH — The city of Pittsburgh is partnering with Verra Mobility Corporation to launch a red-light camera safety program at six high-risk intersections.
The initiative, expected to begin in summer 2026, aims to reduce dangerous driving behaviors and prevent traffic fatalities.
The partnership comes after the Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure reported 750 crashes caused by red-light running between 2019 and 2023. Seven of those accidents resulted in fatalities. By implementing automated enforcement, Pittsburgh joins 337 other cities across the United States utilizing similar technology to monitor road safety.
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Westmoreland commissioners to revamp airport authority board
Triblive.com | By Rich Cholodofsky
March 4, 2026
The board that oversees operations at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity is poised to be significantly revamped through a series of new appointments Westmoreland County commissioners are expected to vote on this week.
Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew said they will appoint four new members to the nine-person Westmoreland County Airport Authority board, which operates the commercial airport near Latrobe and a small commuter airport in Rostraver.
“We expect they will work to bring in new airlines and improve our numbers and hopefully build on our continued growth through finding uses for the land we own,” Kertes said.
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The 190 MPH Amtrak Train Connecting Chicago to the East Coast Is One Step Closer to Reality
Secret Chicago | ByTori Levy
March 5, 2026
Chicago is on the verge of a major new route service that is anticipated to connect the city to a significant eastern city.
A proposed Amtrak route linking Chicago and Pittsburgh via Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio, has been announced.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission reported that communities represented by two regional commissions, along with the city of Fort Wayne, have committed approximately $650,000 in funding for this service.
This massive project linking Chicago to two major cities moves forward
The funding announcement, which also includes support from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, was made late last year. This funding will serve as the local match for federal funding in the second step of developing the route under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program.
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Sara Innamorato: Safe, affordable housing for every county resident
Sara Innamorato
Special to the Post-Gazette
March 12, 2026
Having a place to call home — one you can afford and a place you feel safe — is the foundation of a thriving community. For too many of our neighbors, a safe, stable home is out of reach.
Rising costs, stagnant wages, aging housing stock, absentee landlords and private equity bleeding communities dry has created a perfect storm. Families are being priced out, social networks are being severed and our local and regional tax bases are feeling the strain.
Housing for all
Last month, I signed an executive order called “HOUSING For All,” a commitment to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that every resident of Allegheny County has access to safe, affordable housing.
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County officials do their homework with tour to 'Data Center Alley'
FOR THE LEADER TIMES
Mar 24, 2026
Before becoming an elected member of Armstrong County’s board of commissioners (BOC), Anthony Shea attended numerous municipal meetings to get input on what county residents need, he stated in a recently issued press release.
“I spoke with businesses about what they needed to utilize a local workforce. And I learned more about our county infrastructure so that we could make investments strategically. I do my homework,” Shea said.
With the rise of data centers, the growth of AI, and the growing interest in Southwestern Pennsylvania for those developers, plus Shea’s background in information technology (IT) infrastructure, Shea added that he’s thought a lot about how to protect the character of Armstrong County while ensuring the local economy has the fuel it needs to grow.
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Manager, International Trade Export Assistance
General Purpose:
Develop and implement programs to promote international trade throughout the region. Provide professional consulting services to small and medium sized businesses and develop relationships regionally and internationally.
Active Transportation Manager
General Purpose:
Leads in the development, implementation and administration of select commission transportation related programs and projects. Develops and delivers oral and written reports and presentations to internal and external audiences. Supports, develops and implements the efforts of TDM (Transportation Demand Management) including outreach to provide information on travel demand management strategies and alternate modes of transportation, specifically active transportation modes.
Models and Data Analysis Intern (ONSITE)
Job Summary:
SPC is seeking an intern for its Models & Data Analysis Unit to assist with various ongoing projects in need of transport modeling, data collection, data management, database development, data analysis, and related activities.
GIS Intern (ONSITE)
Job Summary:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is seeking an Entry-Level GIS Intern to help in the development and rectification of key GIS datasets throughout our region.
Active Transportation Intern (ONSITE)
Job Summary:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is seeking an intern to contribute to our active transportation program.
To learn more about each role and to apply for a position, visit Careers - Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.
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Transportation Operations & Safety Committee
Thursday, April 9·1:00 pm
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, 42 21st St Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA
Our Transportation and Operations and Safety Forum meets three to-four times per year and brings together traffic engineers, safety professionals, and transportation planners from around the region to collaborate and share information on projects that work toward improved efficiency and safe operation of the transportation system.
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Transportation Technical Committee
Thursday, April 16·10:00 am
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, 42 21st St Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA
The Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) meets monthly to provide recommendations to our organization’s Board of Commissioners regarding transportation plans, needs, issues, and opportunities for the region. The Committee also addresses the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) (short range) project amendments and administrative actions every month. These are short-range transportation projects that are under review, and will be implemented at some point in the near future. The Committee receives updates from federal and state agencies on pertinent transportation issues, updates from our staff members on relevant transportation planning activities, and reviews upcoming events that are of interest to committee members.
In terms of membership, the Committee includes the planning directors from all ten counties in our coverage area, as well as the City of Pittsburgh. Additionally, representatives from PennDOT’s Central Office, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) attend the meeting. These agencies/organizations receive a vote when matters are brought up that require a vote.
Non-voting members of the Committee include PennDOT’s district offices, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Allegheny County Bureau of Air Pollution Control.
Note: Members of the public are encouraged to attend, especially individuals that have an interest in transportation planning activities.
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