| |
|
| |
| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
| |
| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
|
| |
| |
| INTRODUCED BY METZGAR, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, EVANKOVICH, FLECK, GABLER, GROVE, HELM, MILLARD, RAPP, SCHMOTZER, STERN, WATERS AND BEAR, JUNE 13, 2012 |
| |
| |
| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JUNE 13, 2012 |
| |
| |
| |
| A RESOLUTION |
| |
1 | Memorializing the United States Secretary of Transportation to |
2 | issue a TIGER grant for the construction of the Rockwood |
3 | Station project and urging the Pennsylvania Congressional |
4 | Delegation to support the project. |
5 | WHEREAS, The Rockwood Passenger Rail Station is a multimodal |
6 | project to design and construct a new Amtrak passenger stop in |
7 | Rockwood Borough, Somerset County, Pennsylvania; and |
8 | WHEREAS, Amtrak's Capitol Limited operates on the CSX rail |
9 | line, but does not currently stop at Rockwood, with the nearest |
10 | stops in Cumberland, 48.6 miles east of Rockwood, and |
11 | Connellsville, 42.9 miles west of Rockwood; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Rockwood is located at a crossroad in Somerset |
13 | County, with valuable access to the Great Allegheny Passage |
14 | trail stretching from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.; and |
15 | WHEREAS, The project will include a new station platform and |
16 | canopy, bicycle facilities, parking lot with designated shuttle |
17 | pick-up, creation of priority bicycle corridors in the station |
18 | area, upgrade and installation of new signals and complete |
|
1 | necessary track work to facilitate a new rail stop in Rockwood; |
2 | and |
3 | WHEREAS, The Rockwood Station project will establish a |
4 | leading national example of rail and bicycle integration and |
5 | fill a substantial public transportation void with one of |
6 | Pennsylvania's premier natural regions, the Laurel Highlands; |
7 | and |
8 | WHEREAS, Rockwood's passenger rail history ended in 1971 when |
9 | the B&O Railroad ceased to use the old station located just |
10 | across the bridge at the south end of Market Street; and |
11 | WHEREAS, With the potential for a passenger rail stop, |
12 | Rockwood could once again emerge as a rail destination; and |
13 | WHEREAS, The Rockwood Station on the Amtrak Capitol Limited |
14 | line is more than a historical link to past prosperity; it is |
15 | poised to become a gateway to a new future; and |
16 | WHEREAS, The Rockwood Station project will make this vision a |
17 | reality; and |
18 | WHEREAS, The new station site is located in downtown |
19 | Rockwood, along existing CSX right-of-way between Chestnut and |
20 | Bridge Streets; and |
21 | WHEREAS, The site for the station, located at the Rockwood |
22 | Mill Shoppes and Opera House at 450 Main Street, is ideal for |
23 | connections to existing community development; and |
24 | WHEREAS, Rockwood boasts several bed and breakfasts, a |
25 | campground and a hostel, all within close proximity to the new |
26 | station, to accommodate active travelers that will be attracted |
27 | to the area by the new station; and |
28 | WHEREAS, The Rockwood Station project will complete design |
29 | and construction of a new, intermodal transportation hub in |
30 | downtown Rockwood, which is fully accessible in accordance with |
|
1 | the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to benefit Somerset |
2 | County and the entire Laurel Highlands region; and |
3 | WHEREAS, According to Amtrak's standard ridership model, |
4 | using a fiscal year 2009 baseline, it is anticipated that at |
5 | least 2,540 trips will be taken each year from the Rockwood |
6 | Station at opening; and |
7 | WHEREAS, This number only accounts for the increase in |
8 | mobility of Somerset County residents and does not include trips |
9 | generated by the Great Allegheny Passage and other prominent |
10 | attractions in the Laurel Highlands region; and |
11 | WHEREAS, According to a study completed by VisitPA, in 2009, |
12 | 2.6 million overnight trips were taken to the Laurel Highlands |
13 | region of Pennsylvania, and during the same period, 4.7 million |
14 | day trips were taken; and |
15 | WHEREAS, Analyzing only the existing visitors to the Laurel |
16 | Highlands region, at least 4.3 million people could potentially |
17 | benefit from the Rockwood Station for their traveling needs; and |
18 | WHEREAS, This potential, combined with the vast improvement |
19 | to the mobility of residents of Somerset County, creates the |
20 | foundation for a project that will profoundly impact the lives |
21 | of millions; and |
22 | WHEREAS, The Somerset County Planning Commission, the |
23 | Somerset County Rails-to-Trails Association, the Community |
24 | Foundation for the Alleghenies, the Laurel Highlands Visitors |
25 | Bureau and Amtrak have jointly submitted a request for $3.9 |
26 | million in grants from the United States Department of |
27 | Transportation's TIGER Grant Program for 2012 in an effort to |
28 | complete the financing for the station project; therefore be it |
29 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the |
30 | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the United States |
|
1 | Secretary of Transportation to issue a TIGER grant to the |
2 | Somerset County applicants for the construction of the Rockwood |
3 | Station project; and be it further |
4 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the |
5 | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Pennsylvania Congressional |
6 | Delegation to take action to support the project as well; and be |
7 | it further |
8 | RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to |
9 | United States Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, and to |
10 | each member of Congress from Pennsylvania. |
|