Pyle Goes After State Grant
Kittanning Leader Times
20 September 2014
By Julie E. Martin
A state grant to further transportation and economic development
may pick up the bulk of the cost of operating Armstrong County
locks on the Allegheny River next year.
State Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-Ford City, has applied for $120,000 from
PennDOT to support lock operations in Clinton, Kittanning,
Mosgrove and Rimer in 2015.
While it is too early in the grant game to speculate about the
odds of being funded, Pyle said one thing is certain: “We know
from talking to PennDOT that this is the most unique application
they've seen,” he said. “We're going to cut new ground here.”
To him, the move makes sense because the grants are meant to
promote economic development and ensure safe and reliable
transportation.
“It's our opinion, what the Allegheny River Development
Corporation is doing fits into the newly created multi-modal
fund,” Pyle said.
The ARDC for two years has been working with the federal
government to allow a private agency to fund operation of the
locks. With that permission granted, the group is working on
details of how the payments will be made.
It's continuing to look toward next year and paying for lock
operations, even if the PennDOT grant doesn't come through.
“It's certainly not going to deter us from any more fundraising,”
said ARDC President Linda Hemmes. “We're diligently fundraising in
the face of uncertainty.”
Julie E. Martin is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be
reached at 724-543-1303, ext. 1315, or jmartin@tribweb.com.