PITTSBURGH, February 1, 2019 – State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today jointly announced a $650,000 state grant to provide open space and transportation improvements to the 28-acre former Civic Arena site in Pittsburgh.
“I am pleased that these state dollars will help advance this effort to beautify and improve access in that section of the city,” Costa said. “I will continue to work with Senator Fontana and local officials to make Pittsburgh even more accommodating and attractive to residents and visitors.”
Fontana added, “The arena is a linchpin that will continue to attract both business and residential investment in the lower Hill District portion of our city. This state support will help advance and enhance the city’s redevelopment efforts.”
The $650,000 in state Multimodal Transportation funds will be awarded to the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County for a new three-acre public open space that will provide improvements to intersections, the streetscape, provide new pedestrian pathways, bicycle routes, a bus stop, bikeshare station, and upgrade stormwater management, energy-efficient lighting, and other public amenities. The development work will take place on the so-called “cap” over I-579 that connects the 28-acre former Civic Arena site to downtown.
The multimodal funds (Act 89 of 2013), administered by PennDOT, support ports and rail freight, increase aviation investments, establish dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements and allow targeted funding for priority investments in any mode. The grants are aimed at improving efficiency, safety and transportation mobility.
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