Casey advocated for grant to make significant safety improvements to I-376 and MLK Jr. Busway
100,000 daily travelers on the two arteries will see upgrades including bridge rehab, flood mitigation, traffic congestion reduction
New floodwall will finally drain “the Bathtub” in downtown Pittsburgh
Parkway among most congested roads in the United States
Casey fought to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which funded grant
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Summer Lee (D-PA-14) and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) secured $142,342,200 in funding to make major safety improvements to the I-376 (Parkway East) and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, including the flood-prone “Bathtub” downtown. Casey pushed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to award this funding and fought to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which funded this landmark grant for the City and the region.
“Thanks to the infrastructure law, two of Allegheny County’s most heavily-traveled roadways will become safer and easier to navigate,” said Senator Casey. “The Parkway East and the MLK Busway allow people from Monroeville to Oakland—including many in historically marginalized communities—to travel downtown and points throughout the region. I fought for this generational investment in one of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s busiest and most important corridors to keep residents, commuters, and visitors safe and improve quality of life and transportation options for all who rely on it to reach their destination.”
“I’m proud to join with my colleagues and announce this game-changing investment in Pittsburgh’s Parkway East and East Busway,” said Senator Fetterman. “This massive funding will help fix longstanding flooding concerns in the corridor, allow our region’s infrastructure to adapt to the climate crisis, and expand transit options across Allegheny County. Most of all, it will make sure people across our region can get where they need to go.”
“I am so excited to announce that we’re delivering $142 million to make the I-376 corridor less congested, faster, and safer for drivers, transit users, and pedestrians alike. Not only will this massive investment in one of Pittsburgh’s most congested roads, bridges, and highway strips make it easier for all folks to get where they need to go, but it will create more than 2,500 jobs, add $254.9 million to our economy, protect against flood damage, prevent hundreds of crashes each year, and help right the wrongs of disinvestment and disconnection in left behind communities,” said Congresswoman Lee. “After months of advocating tirelessly and meeting regularly with DOT, I’m so proud that Pittsburgh is receiving the investment we need to make life better for ALL families and small businesses across Western PA.”
“I am proud to help deliver $142 million to upgrade the Parkway East and the MLK East Busway. This investment will improve traffic, flooding, and safety in our region,” said Rep. Deluzio. “Areas in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District like Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Penn Hills, Churchill, and Braddock Hills are going to benefit directly from this Infrastructure Law investment, and that’s great news for the people of Western PA.”
“The award of this grant is the culmination of hard work by many in our region,” said DJ Ryan, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “From our team members that proactively sought out this funding to our County Executive and our members of Congress that advocated for this project, we are grateful for the robust support that we’ve received. Once completed, the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will directly benefit the lives of many individuals—streamlining travel routes, enhancing safety, and increasing access for those that live in our region’s eastern communities.”
“This is a huge win for the Pittsburgh region, and I want to congratulate and thank Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congresswoman Lee for their strong support and advocacy,” said Matt Smith, Chief Growth Office at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “The Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will benefit the community and all who live and work in the region through a series of improvements, promoting easier and safer travel along the interconnected multimodal transportation network. We look forward to seeing this project completed, the significant number of jobs supported and the resulting benefits to southwestern Pennsylvania.”
A 2019 study rated the parkway as the fifth most congested road in the United States. This multimodal project will make significant progress to ameliorate that congestion and the corridor’s safety hazards. The myriad upgrades include rehabilitating 10 bridges, installing a new floodwall along the downtown section of the parkway so flood-prone it is known as “the Bathtub,” implementing technologies to ease traffic from Monroeville to downtown, and stabilizing hilly terrain to prevent landslides. In addition to traffic, flooding, bridges, and potentially unstable terrain, the $142.34 million award will improve bus infrastructure, shoulder and sidewalk safety, and key stretches of South Braddock Avenue and Route 30/Lincoln Highway/Ardmore Boulevard.
Since Casey worked to pass IIJA in 2021, more than $14.2 billion in federal funds has been allocated in Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for over 600 road and bridge projects and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet.
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