Running his finger over an aerial map of Unity, Robert DiFulvio traced a path to the Victoria Highlands home he and his wife Barbara share. The chance to offer tips on what type of development should unfold near their home drew the DiFulvios to Monday's public workshop kicking off the U.S. Route 30 Master Plan design session this week at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. "This is why we wanted to come tonight," Barbara DiFulvio said. "We'd like to see senior housing there, and a park, a theater, maybe a restaurant, too." The couple was joined by about 100 other residents, design professionals and elected officials at the collaborative session hosted by the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County. "We use the 40-mile stretch of Route 30 in this county to get to work, to shop, to seek recreation. At times we're frustrated with it, at times we're happy with it," said Alex Graziani, Smart Growth's executive director. "Tonight, you have the opportunity to help determine the shape the Route 30 corridor takes as it continues to develop." Those attending first were given a history lesson on the 250-year evolution of the road by keynote speaker Kevin J. Patrick, professor of geography and regional planning at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Citing Pittsburgh as the region's central city, Patrick explained how the wave of development east into the county has evolved from the inner suburbs to the outer suburbs and rural spaces characteristic of corridor towns -- Irwin, Greensburg, Jeannette, Latrobe, Derry and Ligonier. "We don't have that central city, but the developmental shadow of Pittsburgh has been cast well to the east," Patrick said. "These areas are where dramatic change is going to happen into the future." Equipped with colored markers and cut-out representations of buildings -- homes and businesses -- workshoppers then participated in an interactive session focusing on how best to use the two multi-acre plots between Route 30, Route 982 and Arnold Palmer Drive. Suggestions ranged from the construction of townhouses, medical offices and patio homes. Most involved said they felt a greater degree of interconnectedness between developments was important to reduce clogging of the main thoroughfare. Unity supervisors Mike O'Barto, Jake Blank and Tim Quinn shared optimism that the session is spotlighting an area of the corridor they hope to help develop in the near future. "We've been supporters of Smart Growth for years," Blank said. Today and Thursday, the team will work privately while a gallery featuring project maps and charts will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the school's Millstein Library. Another public workshop will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Pitt-Greensburg's Smith Hall to review the development proposals. The team will present its final plan for the designated area to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday. For more information, access the project Web site .

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