George Jetson's flying car could be a reality before Route 30 is improved, North Huntingdon Township officials fear. Along with the Norwin Chamber of Commerce, they're pressing the Pittsburgh-based Southwest Pennsylvania Commission to advance the timetable for improvements to Lincoln Highway, which they say are sorely needed and long overdue. Township and chamber representatives testified Monday night before the commission, which is drafting the region's transportation plan for the next four years. SPC is also recommending projects that will be included on the state Department of Transportation's 12-year plan. Rebuilding Route 30 - currently set for sometime after 2013, near the bottom of the list - should be given increased priority, officials said during the hearing at Westmoreland County Courthouse. 'Years ago, the popular bumper sticker was, 'Pray for me, I drive Route 30,'' said North Huntingdon police Chief Charles Henaghan. 'I have been praying for 31 years,' he said. 'There have been hundreds of accidents that could have been avoided, and lives that could have been saved.' Congestion along Route 30 will choke development in western Westmoreland County, testified Allen Cohen, North Huntingdon planning and zoning director. 'Route 30 is the gateway to Westmoreland County from Allegheny County,' he said. 'These improvements are essential to the region.' Federal statistics indicate that more serious accidents occur on Route 30 than any other highway in the county. Kim Giansante of the Norwin Chamber of Commerce said 30,000 cars daily travel Route 30, which lacks turning lanes, modern traffic signals, medians and shoulders. 'The highway's hazardous reputation has made it difficult to attract quality businesses,' she testified, pointing to empty storefronts in local shopping centers as evidence. The 7-mile stretch of Route 30 between Hempfield Township and Allegheny County averages 279 accidents per year, with 35 percent of them resulting in injuries or fatalities, Giansante said. Without substantial upgrades to Lincoln Highway, she said, 'the economic viability of the Norwin area will continue to be outpaced by other parts of southwestern Pennsylvania.' The congestion is spilling over onto neighboring streets, especially Barnes Lake Road, another state highway, Henaghan said. Overall, Giansante said, state highways in North Huntingdon and Irwin average 14 accidents per mile. By comparison, state highways across Pennsylvania average 2.3 accidents per mile, while those in Westmoreland County average less than one accident per mile. Over the next four years, the SPC is recommending that PennDOT spend about $5.2 million along Route 30 west of Greensburg, mostly on planning and engineering. About $3.6 million is budgeted for widening the highway near Jeannette. Money has to be committed for construction, not just planning, Cohen argued. 'These improvements are essential to the region,' he said. 'They should be done in the short run, not the long run.' Even the promise of funding is not a guarantee the work will be done. North Huntingdon Township Manager John Shepherd said money has been budgeted for three years to widen Route 30 between Lincoln Way and Malts Lane, yet the project has languished. 'That's set for construction and we want to see it happen,' he said. 'It's a matter of keeping (the project) on target. We don't want it to be delayed.' The SPC is accepting written testimony through August 10, said Chuck DiPietro, the commission's acting executive director. A final report will be compiled this fall.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---