Development & Transportation

Pennsylvania State Police removed 163 vehicles and 39 drivers from service in a one-day coordinated inspection of commercial trucks carrying hazardous materials. Troopers examined 1,356 trucks August 31 looking for everything from incomplete files to hazardous placard violations. "Possibly things aren't checked properly on the paperwork as far as shipping papers and what's being transported," said Lieutenant Ray Cook. "Then we have some placard violations. Maybe the number of placards aren't (sic) present or the type of placards aren't (sic) present."

Motorists traveling Pennsylvania's state highways are starting to see new warnings painted on the pavement. The goal is to improve safety at intersections and sharp curves.

PennDOT is painting the word "SLOW" on the roadway as they approach tight curves. The marking is then followed by an arrow to alert motorists which way the road is turning, said PennDOT District 11 safety officer Steve Cowen.

Union leaders in Southwestern Pennsylvania want to use this year's Labor Day Parade to send a message to state and federal lawmakers: pass transportation legislation to put people back to work.

Allegheny County Labor Council President Jack Shea said he expects 70,000 to march in the 2011 parade, with both unionized and non-union workers invited to take part in the "March for Jobs." This is the first year non-union workers will be marching.

State grants totaling $4 million are headed to 18 airports across Pennsylvania to upgrade facilities and improve safety. The awards range from $3,000 for the Butler County Airport to $750,000 for Pittsburgh International Airport. The money comes from the state's jet fuel tax. Each recipient must match 25% of the money granted.

PennDOT says most major road construction will be suspended for the holiday weekend as a concession to motorists, but long-term restrictions will remain in place on Route 28, Route 65 and Crosstown Boulevard.

Work will also continue on Route 50 in Bridgeville, where there will be just a single lane in each direction from 8:00 PM Friday through 8:00 PM Sunday near Great Southern Shopping Center, and also where Greentree Road intersects Route 50 in Heidelberg.

The notion of streetcars in the Strip District may seem outdated or romantic in the 21st century, but it could become a reality in the near future.

The city of Pittsburgh is asking consultants to submit bids for a streetcar system in the Strip, to be situated between 10th and 40th Streets.

Pittsburgh's Principal Transportation Planner Patrick Roberts said whichever comprehensive plan the city adopts this November will also include other transportation changes for the market neighborhood, like pedestrian and bikeway improvements.

A panel of Pennsylvania legislators, private citizens, and the state's Transportation Secretary heard arguments for funding local infrastructure projects on Thursday.

Leaders from southwestern Pennsylvania counties and municipalities submitted their ideas for the Department of Transportation's 12-Year Plan, or TYP. Updated every two years, the TYP maps out which road and bridge projects will be a priority for the state agency.

Pennsylvania's top transportation official said if the state adopts recent recommendations for funding its worn-out roads and bridges, it will raise costs for drivers. But, he said that's not necessarily worse than the alternative.

The estimated 60,000 motorists who use Route 28 between Pittsburgh and Millvale on any given day will have some additional challenges starting August 22 as PennDOT begins the next phase of construction on that roadway. PennDOT spokesman Jim Struzzi says the $36.4 million phase is the largest of the overall project.

Pittsburgh's East End has seen its share of redevelopment in recent years, and now the Department of City Planning hopes to map out a transportation plan to get people to and from those new sites.

City Planning officials are slated to talk with residents and organizations Thursday about what new transportation infrastructure the area needs, to decide if they should adopt a "Transit Revitalization Improvement District" for East Liberty.