Governor announces $38 million in state investments
CANONSBURG – Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced in Canonsburg on Tuesday $38 million in new state investments in Washington and Greene counties that will leverage more than $17 million in private and local funding. The funding aims to keep more than 2,800 residents working, improve public safety, stimulate the economy and build stronger communities, he said.
According to the governor, he is taking a five-day, 16-stop statewide bus tour to announce $642 million in new state investments in 25 counties that will leverage more than $1.3 billion in private and local investments to keep nearly 30,000 Pennsylvanians working.
“Our national economy is continuing to pose enormous challenges for our working families,” Rendell said. “We cannot afford to wait for help from Washington, or for the situation to grow worse. That is why we are moving forward with a Pennsylvania solution to grow our own economy and create jobs for Pennsylvania workers.
“We know this strategy will work because we have proven it before,” he said. “When I took office in 2003, Pennsylvania was trailing the nation in job growth and had spent most of the prior four years with a higher unemployment rate than the nation’s jobless number. I worked with the General Assembly to create an economic stimulus plan that attracted new employers and improved our cities and towns.
“Our investments paid off,” he continued. “Even in these tough economic times, Pennsylvania has added jobs in four of the past six months – while the U.S., as a whole, has consistently lost jobs – and our unemployment rate is lower than the nation’s.
“Here in Washington and Greene counties, with today’s announcement, we will have invested $259 million in new state funds since 2003. Combined, the two counties now have 5,300 more people working than in January 2003.”
Overall in Washington and Greene counties, Tuesday’s announcement of $37.9 million in new state investments in bridges, businesses and community projects will attract $17.1 million in private economic activity, Rendell said. Including bridgework, the projects will create 2,199 jobs and protect 606 positions in the two counties.
Rendell announced the availability of $4.9 million in state funds for business development and community improvement projects in Washington County, including:
? $2 million to help attract companies to the Starpointe Business Park in Hanover Township. The project will cost more than $12 million and is expected to create between 900 and 1,000 jobs.
? $1.6 million for Aquatech to expand its headquarters in Canonsburg.
? $1 million for the expansion of Mylan Inc.’s Canonsburg headquarters.
? $241,000 to support the continued growth of Crown Castle Corp. in Canonsburg.
Despite nearly tripling spending on bridge repairs in the past five years, Pennsylvania has the highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the nation, according to Rendell. This year’s budget provides $466 million in new state funds to accelerate repairs to 224 bridges in the 25 counties on this tour. Overall, the state will invest nearly $1 billion this fiscal year to repair or replace as many as 611 bridges.
“The bridges in this year’s accelerated repair program will require enough concrete to build 16,000 homes, which would be equal to a 60 percent increase in new home construction,” Rendell said. “In addition, that bridge work will demand enough steel to build four Eiffel towers.”
Rendell said that 16 bridges in Washington and Greene counties would be repaired under his accelerated program.
They are:
Greene County
Washington County
?????????????????? Chartiers and South Strabane Township – Arden Bridge over Chartiers Creek.
? Deemston Borough – Deemston Bridge over Plum Run.
? Canonsburg Borough – Canonsburg Bridge 2 over a branch of Chartiers Creek.
? South Strabane Township – Zediker Station Road Bridge over Zediker Station Road.
? Peters Township – Route 19 at Valley Brook Road.
? Somerset Township – a rural bridge over a branch of Pigeon Creek.
? Mount Pleasant Township – Westland Run Bridge over Westland Run.
? Buffalo Township – Buffalo Creek Bridge over Buffalo Creek.
In addition, Barrs Run Bridge over Barrs Run in West Bethlehem Township will be rehabilitated.
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