Monday, February 20, 2006

Hot Metal pedestrian bridge funding presented

Hot Metal pedestrian bridge funding presented Sen. Rick Santorum today delivered a ceremonial check for $500,000, representing the final piece of funding for the second half of the Hot Metal Bridge linking South Oakland and South Side.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hot Metal pedestrian bridge funding presented

Monday, February 20, 2006
By Rich Lord By Rich Lord , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sen. Rick Santorum today delivered a ceremonial check for $500,000, representing the final piece of funding for the second half of the Hot Metal Bridge linking South Oakland and South Side.

The vehicular half has been open for years. The new, parallel span will have a 14-foot-wide deck and accommodate bikes and pedestrians, linking the Eliza Furnace Trail on the Monongahela River's north bank with the South Side Riverfront Trail on the south. It will cross not just the river, but also Second Avenue.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor noted that it connects the SouthSide Works development with the Pittsburgh Technology Center, where a series of planned parking garages is expected to spur development of new office and research buildings.

"The employees on both sides can walk across and enjoy the amenities here, the restaurants," he said. "It's really improving the quality of life for us throughout southwestern Pennsylvania."

Mr. Santorum, who delivered the check on behalf of himself and Sen. Arlen Specter, said it creates "some real energy and synergy." The funding was included in the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato called it part of a conscious effort to turn what was steel industry infrastructure into parts of an improved transportation system. "These bridges, which were just liabilities for 20 years, are now becoming the major links between all the arteries -- universities, high tech community, entertainment," he said.

The span is expected to cost around $6.5 million, and will be entirely federally funded. Bid packages will go out in the spring, said a representative of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, with construction starting in summer. The span may be open by late 2007.

Anonymous said...

I UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER SEN.SANTORUM DROPPED OF HIS CHECK,HE THEN STOPPED AT FOLINO'S RISTORANTE IN THE
SOUTH SIDE TO PICKUP SOME CHECKS OF HIS OWN VIA A FUNDRAISER HELD FOR HIM. FOLINO'S OWNER IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF DEM.COUNCIL CANDIDATE BRUCE KRAUS.
QUESTION IS WILL KRAUS NOW DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM FOLINO'S OR WILL HE ALLOW THIS AFFRONT TO GO UNCHALLENGED.

Mark Rauterkus said...

I saw this in the other forum -- and it should have just died a slow death there. The post above is silly -- and here is why. Penny who is the owner of Folino's put up a sign -- so what. That isn't a big deal - or as was typed, "strong supporter." And, should I want to hold a fundraiser there -- I think I'd be able to do so, just buy the space and I would imagine she'd rent it to me.

To tie B.K. to R.S. via a business owner is silly too. He can't distance himself from anything. He is over-reaching with everything anyway.

Drinking coffee at Starbucks and shopping at WalMart is worse -- and that isn't much either -- (but I don't do that myself).

What kills me is the fact that real solution talk is so sparce. That's damage enough to cause me to slip confidence.