The local development district, Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (SAP&DC), wants to hear from businesses in the region who identify themselves as part of the outdoor recreation industry. We hope to learn more about the connection and impact between businesses and outdoor recreation in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties. By completing this brief survey, you will help SAP&DC identify strategies for growing the region’s outdoor recreation economy.

To participate in the by taking a brief survey go to this link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7471011/Alleghenies-Outdoors-Business-Owner-Survey or at https://bit.ly/3PsZPNE

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The Southern Alleghenies RPO will act as a clearing house for bicycle and pedestrian projects of significant quality and value to the region. The projects chosen for the Candidate Project Listing will be based on how the project supports the goals and objectives of the 2022 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Projects in this listing have been appropriately vetted by the RPO and their status will be determined to be one of the following developmental categories:

Initial – Projects in this phase are generally very conceptual at this point. They don’t have any of the major components indicating serious planning and readiness, but they do have a demonstrated need.

Early Developmental – Projects in this phase have a clearly demonstrated need and multiple components showing there has been some planning for the project. These projects may be just beginning to formulate the financial plan. Typically, these projects will not be ready for a grant application or construction (assuming funding is available) within six months.

Advanced Developmental – Projects in this phase are well developed and show a clear and documented need. These projects show significant progress or completion of all components under the Planning & Readiness criteria. Significant planning is evident, and the project sponsors are nearing readiness for grant

This selective process will be a resource for federal, state, and local agencies (i.e. PennDOT, DCNR, DCED) looking to fund well developed and quality projects.  In the RPO’s role as a clearing house for bicycle and pedestrian projects, the aforementioned agencies and partners can be assured a project has been vetted and listed in any of the three categories for development based on demonstrated level of planning, readiness, and need.

Proposals can be submitted via the webform here: https://bike-ped-plan-candidate-project-listing-sapdcgis.hub.arcgis.com/.  The RPO’s 2022 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is here: https://www.sapdc.net/bicycle-and-pedestrian-plan/.

For more information, please contact Brandon Peters, SAP&DC Transportation Program Manager, at 814-949-6543 or bpeters@sapdc.net.

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“The pandemic changed every aspect of our lives, including how we educate our students and prepare them to join Pennsylvania’s workforce,” Secretary Berrier said. “These BEP grants play a vital role in helping students gain the skills to eventually meet the needs of employers across the commonwealth. We are so proud to be awarding nearly $3.1 million to local workforce development boards across Pennsylvania. They will use this money to continue operating their programs that increase awareness of in-demand technical careers for students, parents, guardians, and school faculty.”

The partnerships offer career-related experiences and opportunities for students through soft-skills development, internships, workplace shadowing, and career mentoring, all with the goal of informing more young learners about high-priority occupations and career paths available in the commonwealth.

“One of Governor Wolf’s key workforce development objectives is providing students with the proper training to secure good-paying jobs once they leave the classroom,” said Secretary Berrier. “In the previous round of BEP grants, the commonwealth helped to fund activities that served more than 35,000 people across Pennsylvania. We are simply letting students know what opportunities exist and offering solid first-work experience that puts them on the path of a successful career.”

Southern Alleghenies (Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Somerset – $108,497)

Grant will be used to motivate students in grades 6-12 to pursue STEM and technology careers. The program aims to extend opportunity to employers, parents, and secondary schools to develop our future workforce through innovative and interactive project activities; build partnerships that cultivate an ecosystem that provides opportunities in education, promotes training and encourages resource sharing; and provides local educators opportunity to gain knowledge and insights from local employers.

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The Mini-Grant Program accepted projects pertaining to planning, technical assistance, and development projects located within the region. Eligible projects were required to support the goals of the region’s 2007 Greenways and Open Space Network Plan and the 2016 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Any municipality, council of government, conservation district, land trust, non-profit organization, designated heritage area, or redevelopment authority was eligible to submit an application. Applications for proposed projects were received through March 2021.

Awards were granted to projects within Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties. The selected projects will create additional recreation opportunities in the region to plan for and design community parks and expand tourist activities and amenities that highlight the region.

The Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC) will be presenting checks to the awarded mini-grant projects for the 7th round of the Greenways Mini-Grant Program. The presentations will take place on June 10^th and 11^th.  Details can be found below. Check presentation ceremonies will be open to the public signifying the awarded funding of the projects listed below.

NatureWorks Park Trail Additions – $4,000: Blair County Conservation District, Blair County. The check presentation will take place at 10 Bedford Street in Hollidaysburg on 6/10 at 9:30 a.m. Members of the Blair County Conservation District and SAP&DC will be in attendance. With this funding, the Conservation District hopes to increase pedestrian mobility by adding two new trail sections. The new extensions will be with gravel-base for the first 35 feet to create a welcoming entrance. The remaining trail transitions into hard packed natural surface to meet ADA accessibility guidelines. The trail extension will be mowed and maintained by Conservation District staff. The extensions will lead visitors off the main trail and into the multi-functional riparian buffer.

The Arc of Blair County: Trail Feasibility Study – $11,651: The Arc of Blair County, Blair County: The check presentation will take place at The Arc of Blair County’s main office at 431 Jackson Avenue in Altoona on 6/10 at 10:30 a.m. Members of The Arc of Blair County, P. Joseph Lehman, Inc. Consulting Engineers, and SAP&DC will be in attendance. For this grant, a feasibility study will be conducted for an ADA accessible trail from The Arc of Blair County facility to an existing woods trail in Valley View County Park. The connection point is near the southeast corner of the soccer field area. The study will address the existing Valley View County Park trail upgrades to ADA standards westward to the soccer field area. The trail will follow along the perimeter of the field on the west side and continue to the pavilion area in the park at the north end of the soccer field area.

Logan Valley Streetcar & First Frontier Trails – $30,000: Antis Township, Blair County: The check presentation will take place at the Pedestrian Bridge near 400 North 1st Street in Bellwood, on 6/10 at 11:30 a.m. Members of Antis Township and SAP&DC will be in attendance.  In order to connect to Bellwood Antis Park, a bridge over Bells Gap Run is required. The preferred location is south of the pedestrian ramp, which requires an approximate span length of 85 feet. The proposed bridge design includes a steel substructure with a prefabricated fiberglass superstructure, which can be constructed using volunteers. A Chapter 105 permit is required for the bridge, which can be done jointly with the permit for the trail. The trail will connect to the existing pathway to the pedestrian bridge over the railroad.

Leopold Park Train Viewing Area – $14,917: Logan Township, Blair County:  The check presentation will take place at the Logan Township Municipal Building at the beginning of the Board meeting at 100 Chief Logan Circle, Altoona, PA on 6/10 at 6 p.m. Members of the Logan Township Board and staff and SAP&DC will be in attendance. Logan Township is requesting a Mini-Grant to help with some of the costs to make Leopold Park a better park. A train viewing area, installation of benches, and installation of a riparian buffer are parts of a larger project that can easily be completed as a separate project and would provide benefit even without the larger project being completed.

Inclined Plane Riverside Park Phase 1 Final Design – $25,000: Conemaugh Valley Conservancy, Cambria County: The check presentation will take place at the parking lot at the bottom of the Inclined Plane, across from the Memorial Baptist Church in Johnstown on 6/11 at 10:30 a.m. Members of the Conemaugh Valley Conservancy, Cambria County, City of Johnstown, and SAP&DC will be in attendance. Conemaugh Valley Conservancy and the City of Johnstown need to complete the permitting, engineering, and construction drawings to build Phase I of the Inclined Plane Riverside Park, including ADA access from the middle of downtown and a connection to the September 11th National Memorial Trail loop through downtown.  Construction is fully funded but cost overruns in permitting, design and engineering caused a budget shortfall.

Somerset Lake Nature Park: Phase 2A Trail Development Project – $30,000: County of Somerset, Somerset County: The check presentation will take place at Somerset Lake at the intersection of Wooduck and Gilmour Road in Somerset, PA on 6/11 at 12:30 p.m. Somerset County Commissioners, Lindsay Pyle, Parks and Trails Director, Somerset, Inc., and SAP&DC will be in attendance.  This project will be phase 2A of the trail and is one of the top priorities in the counties Regional Comprehensive Plan. If awarded, Somerset County plans to develop 0.39 miles of ADA accessible multi-use trail. This trail will be composed of several different grades of stone to ensure the trail does not sink. The top layer of trail will be crushed limestone, which creates a perfect surface for all activities.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this announcement, please contact Stacy LoCastro, SAP&DC’s Grants Coordinator, at (814) 949-6510 or by email at slocastro@sapdc.net.

For more information on the Greenways and Open Space Network Plan or Greenways Mini-Grant Program, please visit www.sapdc.net.

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Contact: Zack Lee, Regional Planner, Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, 814-949-6532, zlee@sapdc.net

ALTOONA, Pa. — The Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (SAP&DC) is currently updating its 2016 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for the Southern Alleghenies RPO Region (Bedford County, Fulton County, Huntingdon County, Somerset County). The Southern Alleghenies Rural Planning Organization (RPO) is charged with administering a multimodal transportation program, addressing not only the Region’s highway and bridge infrastructure, but also the elements that support walking and bicycling. The development of the 2021 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is being overseen by SAP&DC and is guided by an advisory committee that consists of representatives from the RPO Region, PennDOT District 9, and PennDOT Central Office.

As part of the update to the Plan, SAP&DC is conducting an online, interactive survey through PublicInput to garner feedback from the community on bicycle and pedestrian opportunities and issues within the Region. The feedback and information received from the survey will help guide bicycle and pedestrian efforts and investments for the Southern Alleghenies RPO. The survey began on June 1, 2021 and will conclude on July 15, 2021. To take the survey online, please use the link or QR code provided: https://publicinput.com/SAbikeped2021

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The development of the master plan will include an analysis of how each phase of development will result in benefits to business and employment of surrounding communities, and compliment related and/or nearby existing and proposed regional assets, as well as recommend alternatives for management and maintenance as the railroad increases operations. The ARC funds, along with $125,000 in local sources, will be used to fulfill the specific project activities mentioned above.

“The East Broad Top Railroad is a historic part of Huntingdon County that showcases and celebrates our region’s robust railroad legacy. The East Broad Top Railroad Master Plan will make important progress in the mission to build economic development in our community and strengthen our tourism industry. I have visited the East Broad Top Railroad, and this is an important project for our region. I thank the EBT Foundation, Huntingdon County, and the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission for securing this support.” – Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13)

The application was prepared by Zack Lee, the Regional Planner at Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (SAP&DC), in coordination with EBT Foundation and Huntingdon County. The Huntingdon County Commissioners said “we greatly appreciate ARC’s investment in the EBT Master Plan that supports tourism and economic resilience in Huntingdon County. The plan will lay the framework to attract individuals from all over the country to experience the rich rail history we have here in the County. The East Broad Top Railroad is poised to enhance the tourism industry and will support the creation of new jobs and private investment in our communities.”

If you would like more information on the project, please contact Zack Lee, Regional Planner at SAP&DC at zlee@sapdc.net.

For more about this program or other programs please visit www.sapdc.net.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.

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The project, Industrial Boulevard Extension, will improve the efficiency and safety for the business park traffic. Additionally, the improvements will provide a secondary access point into the park. The secondary access point will serve as an attraction tool for potential new businesses into the park, as it is projected that the expanded development opportunity will support 200-250 new jobs once the site is completely built out. Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) had this to say about the project award:

“Improving access to the Everett Area Business Park with investments in this vital infrastructure will create economic growth opportunities in West Providence Township and across Bedford County. Supporting our local industries and workforce is key to our region’s economic success, and I thank the leaders of West Providence Township, Bette Slayton and her team at the Bedford County Development Association, and Brandon Peters of the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission for their dedicated work to secure support for this important project.”

The application was prepared by Zack Lee, the Regional Planner at Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission, in coordination with West Providence Township, PennDOT District 9, and the Bedford County Development Association.  Brandon Peters, Transportation Program Manager for Southern Alleghenies, said “this infrastructure project creates great opportunities for expansion in the Everett Area Business Park.  We appreciate the ARC’s willingness to fund quality transportation and access projects in the Southern Alleghenies Region.  We hope to continue to seek out opportunities for partnership with ARC on local access road projects.”

If you would like more information on the project, please contact Brandon Peters, Transportation Program Manager at SAP&DC at bpeters@sapdc.net.

For more about this program or other programs please visit www.sapdc.net.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.

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New appointments are:

• Honorable Gerald Walker – Somerset County Commissioner, President
• Honorable Scott Walls – Huntingdon County Commissioner, Vice-President
• Honorable Scott Hunt – Cambria County Commissioner, Secretary
• Tom Luciano – Sheetz, Inc., Director of Finance & Accounting, Treasurer

Mr. Walker is the 22^nd President of SAP&DC’s Board of Director since 1981 and replaces Honorable Bruce Erb, Blair County Commissioner who served as President since 2019. Mr. Walker previously served as Vice-President.

Left to right: Honorable Gerald Walker, Honorable Bruce Erb, and Stephen Howsare, SAP&DC Executive Director

“SAP&DC has a long tradition of strong leadership and I hope to continue that tradition,” said Commissioner Walker, thanking the Board for their confidence in him.

A plaque was presented to Commissioner Erb as gratitude for his two years serving as President.

“This has been a wonderful opportunity to learn so much”, said Erb. “SAP&DC is a hidden gem that does so much good for the region.”

Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission’s Board of Directors consists of 19-members.  These include two commissioners from each of the Commission’s six constituent counties and seven at-large members selected in accordance with SAP&DC’s by-laws.

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The 2007 Southern Alleghenies Greenways and Open Space Network Plan, which can be found online at www.sapdc.net, outlines a series of policies and projects for linking existing natural and man-made resources within the Southern Alleghenies Region of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties. Projects eligible for mini-grant funding do not have to be specifically named in the Plan but must support the Plan’s overall purpose and goals.

Additionally, the 2016 Southern Alleghenies Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan also prioritizes eligible project types such as bicycle and pedestrian sandwich board signs in downtown areas with heavy bike and foot traffic, new or existing trail development, installation of bike racks in downtowns, development and improvement of trail heads, bicycle signage for on and off-road trails, on and off-road feasibility studies, and municipal/county bicycle plans.

This program is open to planning, technical assistance, and development projects located within the Southern Alleghenies Region ONLY. Any municipality, council of government, conservation district, or redevelopment authority may submit an application. Funding requests are limited to $30,000 and require a dollar-for-dollar cash or in-kind match. Mini-Grant funds may NOT be used to fulfill match requirements for other DCNR funded projects.

Program guidelines, application form, and schedule are available online at Southern Alleghenies Regional Greenways Mini-Grant Program | Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (sapdc.net). Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on March 26, 2021.

SAP&DC staff will hold a pre-application workshop to assist potential applicants with the application process. The workshop webinar will be on February 4, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Please call or email Stacy LoCastro, Grants Coordinator, at (814) 949-6510 or by email at slocastro@sapdc.net to register for the webinar.

About Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC)

The Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC) [sapdc.net] is a non-profit regional economic and community development organization serving Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset Counties. SAP&DC’s mission is to address human resource development, encourage the creation and retention of jobs, and to improve the quality of life for residents of the Alleghenies.

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The Keystone Communities grant was awarded to the seven Local Development Districts (LDDs) that serve 52 Pennsylvania counties. The grant complements a previous $600,000 Appalachian Regional Commission POWER broadband grant supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) awarded to the LDDs to undertake broadband expansion throughout the state.

The LDDs are multi-county organizations providing services such as community and economic development, transportation, international trade, strategic planning, and much more. Counties share information through their LDD, respond to common concerns, and develop solutions to today’s critical issues. For over 40 years, Pennsylvania’s LDDs have taken the lead in community and business initiatives, coordinating and delivering services on behalf of their member counties as well as the Commonwealth.

Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC) is one of the seven LDDs and serves six counties. SAP&DC’s share of the Keystone Communities grant is $108,000.

The LDDs will coordinate to identify areas of Pennsylvania that need broadband and then expand coverage by either providing it or incentivizing internet service providers to expand service.

As a result, broadband will be expanded to a total of 410 businesses, 860 homes, and 13 communities throughout the LDDs’ statewide regions.

The LDDs that will identify areas that need broadband are Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

The following LDDs have identified underserved areas and will expand broadband service: North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), and Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission.

All projects are anticipated to be completed over the next 12 to 18 months.

Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission Partners with Alleghenies Broadband, Inc. to implement wireless internet service projects in three underserved areas in the region.

Alleghenies Broadband, Inc. (ABI) is a newly formed non-profit organization with the purpose of supporting the development of broadband infrastructure to ensure residents and businesses have access to reliable, high-speed internet service. ABI will work to enhance infrastructure through public-private partnerships to deliver high-speed internet to rural areas that currently lack connectivity.

A matching grant from Appalachian Regional Commission will be used to purchase the wireless equipment for three existing tower sites and ABI will partner with one or more private wireless internet service providers to deliver high-speed internet services to these rural areas.

The locations of the three sites are as follows:

• Deployment Site 1: North East Somerset County
• Deployment Site 2: South East Somerset County/potentially parts of Western Bedford County
• Deployment Site 3: Eastern Huntingdon County

In total, the population of these underserved areas is more than 4,000 residents that currently lack adequate broadband service. The proposed wireless networks will provide speeds of up to 100 Mbps, with a minimum of at least 25/3 Mbps available.

Steve Howsare, SAP&DC executive director, was grateful for the support from the Pennsylvania state House and Senate members that worked to secure the funding for the effort.  “We appreciate the support from our legislators including, Rep. Irvin, Rep. Metzgar, Rep. Topper, Sen. Langerholc, Sen. Stefano, and Sen. Ward. We’re looking forward to partnering with Alleghenies Broadband, Inc. to complete the project.”

Brandon Carson, ABI executive director, thanked the state legislators for their support and indicated that funding for the wireless projects is an important step in addressing the connectivity problems in the region. Carson said, “This funding is critical as we begin to implement connectivity projects that were identified as part of a recent broadband infrastructure analysis of the region. ABI looks forward to continuing to work closely with our elected officials and other partners to ensure our rural communities have the access they need.”

About Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC)

The Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC) [www.sapdc.net] is a non-profit regional economic and community development organization serving Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset Counties. SAP&DC’s mission is to address human resource development, encourage the creation and retention of jobs, and to improve the quality of life for residents of the Alleghenies.

About Alleghenies Broadband, Inc. (ABI) 

Alleghenies Broadband, Inc. (ABI) is a non-profit organization with a mission of ensuring that residents and businesses in the Southern Alleghenies region (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties) have access to reliable broadband service. In partnering with local public and private organizations, ABI aims to ensure that rural communities have the same access to high-quality internet service as those living in urban areas.

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