2nd Stop on 25-County Bus Tour Celebrates Investments to Repair

Bridges, Improve Communities, Expand Businesses



    SHARON, Pa., Aug. 4 /EMWNews/ -- On the second stop of a

five-day, 16-stop bus tour, Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced

$28.5 million in new state investments in Crawford and Mercer counties that

will leverage more than $30 million in private and local funding, keep

1,000 residents working, improve public safety, grow the economy and build

stronger communities.



    The Governor's statewide bus tour is announcing $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," Governor 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. 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 Crawford and Mercer counties, with today's announcement we

will have invested nearly $185 million in new state funds since 2003.

Unemployment in the two counties has dropped by 22 percent since January

2003 as 2,400 more people have found jobs."



    COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS/BUSINESS EXPANSIONS



    Overall in Crawford and Mercer counties, today's announcement of $28.5

million in new state investments in bridges, businesses and community

projects will attract $30.4 million in private economic activity. Including

bridge work, these projects will keep 1,059 jobs.



    The Governor announced the availability of $6.5 million in state funds

for business development projects in Crawford and Mercer counties,

including:



    -- $2.3 million for Grand Valley Manufacturing, which will lease and

renovate two buildings owned by the Titusville Redevelopment Authority. The

new space will permit the company to invest in 10 new machines, grow its

customer base and expand into new markets.



    -- $36,700 so ITU can expand its Titusville industrial laundry

operation.



    -- $3 million for the City of Sharon, one of Pennsylvania's Core

Communities, to build a new pedestrian bridge linking the downtown to Penn

State's Shenango Valley campus and to revitalize the riverfront with new

streetscapes and lighting.



    -- $1.25 million for the City of Hermitage to establish a Tech

Innovation & Development Center that will embrace entrepreneurship,

encourage innovation and technology development, and support efforts

between public enterprise and regional educational providers.



    BRIDGE REPAIRS



    Despite nearly tripling spending on bridge repairs in the past five

years, Pennsylvania has the highest number of structurally deficient

bridges in the nation. 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 commonwealth will invest approximately $1 billion this

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," Governor Rendell said. "In addition,

that bridge work will demand enough steel to build four Eiffel Towers."



    The Governor announced that 21 bridges in Crawford and Mercer counties

will be repaired under his accelerated program:



    Bridge Replacements in Crawford County



    -- West Mead Township -- Mill Run Bridge



    -- Cussewago Township -- PA 98 Tributary Cussawago Creek Bridge



    Bridge Replacements in Mercer County



    -- Findley Township -- PA 258 Hope Mills Road Bridge over Pine Run



    -- French Creek Township -- PA 173 Milledgeville Bridge over North Deer

Creek



    -- Lackawannock Township -- Little Neshannock Creek Bridge



    -- Greene Township -- PA 58 Kinsman Road Bridge over Sugar Creek



    -- Perry Township -- Pine Run Bridge



    -- City of Sharon -- US 62 Bridge over PA 60 and South Dock



    -- City of Sharon -- US 62 Bridge over Conrail Railroad



    -- Springfield Township -- PA 258 over Nelson Run



    Bridge Rehabilitations in Crawford County



    -- East Fairfield and Union Townships -- Townhouse Corners Bridge over

French Creek



    -- Hayfield Township -- SR 4009 over I-79 Northbound/Southbound



    Bridge Rehabilitations in Mercer County



    -- Sugar Grove Township -- SR 4021 over Hollow Run



    -- Liberty Township -- SR 2028 over Wolf Creek



    Bridge Preservation in Crawford County



    -- Greenwood and Union Townships -- Northbound I-79 Swamp Bridge over

Conneaut Swamp



    -- Greenwood and Union Townships -- Southbound I-79 Swamp Bridge over

Conneaut Swamp



    -- Hydetown Borough -- PA 408 Oil Creek Bridge



    -- Rockdale Township -- Muddy Creek Bridge



    Bridge Preservation in Mercer County



    -- Lackawannock Township -- Buckwater Road over Little Neshannock Creek



    -- Springfield Township -- US 19 Johnston Run Bridge



    -- Perry Township -- SR 19 Little Shanango River Bridge



    "Pennsylvania is primed for continued growth," Governor Rendell said.

"We can lead the way out of the national economic crisis by continuing to

invest in jobs and business expansion, a safe infrastructure, strong

communities and the resulting gains in productivity."



    The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public

education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing

economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out

more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly

newsletter, visit: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.



    EDITOR'S NOTE: The Governor's weeklong tour will end on Friday in

Reading. For the details of his schedule, visit http://www.pa.gov.



    CONTACT:



    Chuck Ardo



    717-783-1116