Rich Fitzgerald, fresh from a two-hour kayak trip from Springdale to Harmar on the Allegheny River, reflected on the river’s importance for business and recreation.
“It’s important to the whole region,” said the former Allegheny County executive who became executive director of the 10-county Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission at the beginning of the year.
“It’s important for property values; it’s important for businesses. It’s important to the quality of life for residents because its navigable, safe, healthy.”
Fitzgerald was part of a group of about 30 elected officials and river advocates who participated in a kayak parade through Allegheny Lock No. 3 to show off the many uses of the river. The commission, along with Friends of the Riverfront, Port of Pittsburgh and others, is part of a coalition called Save the Allegheny River that was started to improve financing for the critical locks and dams that allow business and recreational traffic to flow smoothly on the river.
Matt Pavlosky, public relations manager for Port of Pittsburgh, said because of the high recreational use the river is “the lifeblood of our communities.” State Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, said access and improvements are “absolutely crucial to these river towns.”
But advocates are concerned because freight movement on the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers has dropped from about 52 million tons 10 years ago to 20 to 24 million tons now, Pavlosky said, largely due to declines in the coal industry. On the Allegheny alone, tonnage averages between 750,000 and 2 million tons annually.
With locks around 90 years old and commercial use dropping, advocates are concerned that federal investment in the system will fall as well. That’s why they highlighted the river’s “other” use Friday and said they are pushing for a study to show how much the regional economy benefits from river recreational activities to convince federal officials to continue funding for river improvements.
Pat Fabian, chairman of the Armstrong County commissioners and the SPC board, said STAR is important to the future of river towns such as Freeport, Ford City and Kittanning in his county, as well as those communities closer to Pittsburgh. Many communities have brownfields along the river, and those won’t be redeveloped unless the river is open most hours of the day to move goods by water.
“If [STAR] does well, the communities like Cheswick and Freeport and Springdale will benefit greatly,” he said.
Trail expansion and recreation are improving along the Allegheny — state Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View, said she regularly hears from constituents who want river access — but improving conditions to move freight has been slow in coming. Upgrading the lock system will take “some big federal dollars,” she said, noting that the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill included $860 million for similar improvements on the upper Ohio River.
“We just need more dedicated sources of funding,” Pavlosky said.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.