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Along the north bank of the Allegheny River, about six miles from the confluence of the Three Rivers in downtown Pittsburgh, Sharpsburg is a small community of about 3,500 residents. The community has a rich industrial history, dating back to its role in the early days of the H.J. Heinz company, but has experienced economic decline over the last several decades. Insufficient transportation infrastructure has blighted the borough’s Allegheny Shores — a 52-acre waterfront brownfield that accounts for approximately 12% of the borough’s total land.
Nearly $25 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program will support the Borough of Sharpsburg’s Reconnecting the Allegheny Riverfront to Economic Opportunity Project. The RAISE grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and was authorized for $1.5 billion a year, on top of appropriated funds allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invested more than $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways. The infrastructure project is one of 148 projects to receive funding from RAISE in fiscal year 2024.
The grant will help construct a multimodal transportation network critical to the future of the Allegheny Shores. The project — which will plan, design and construct a bridge over the Conemaugh rail line — will revitalize the waterfront for new development, including affordable and workforce housing; connect the community to new transportation options; complete gaps in the regional trail network; and bring new jobs to Sharpsburg.
Western Pennsylvania is ranked in the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization’s (Energy Communities IWG) top 25 priority energy communities based on coal industry employment loss. In addition to closing mines, the region has also experienced the closure of several coal-fired power plants. The downturn of the coal industry and decline of waterway transportation has had a significant impact on the region’s economy, and diversifying the economy is of high importance.
To address this challenge, in July 2024, the Energy Communities IWG launched the Waterways Freight Diversification and Economic Development Initiative. The initiative aims to revitalize communities along the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela River Corridor (Three Rivers Corridor) by promoting economic development and freight diversification. This effort seeks to leverage the region’s waterways to boost freight transportation, create good-paying jobs and stimulate local economies.
The Energy Communities IWG is charged with advancing an interagency commitment of robust federal leadership in direct partnership with energy communities to foster economic investment and revitalization and ensure the creation of good-paying jobs. The Energy Communities IWG has identified billions of dollars in funding to support transitioning energy communities in reviving their economy for the future. Investments in projects such as the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board help ensure new jobs and opportunities will become available in all pockets of America.