Indiana County accepts $1.5 million HUD award for Windy Ridge Phase 3C roadway project

The Indiana County Commissioners on May 27 accepted a $1,500,000 federal Economic Development Initiative — Community Project Funding (HUD CPF) award to support construction of the Phase 3C roadway at the Windy Ridge Business & Technology Park in White Township.

Byron Stauffer of the county Office of Planning & Development told the board the roadway will provide access to an additional 31.319 acres intended for business development and expand regional job-site capacity near SR 286 and U.S. Route 422. The board also approved a cooperation agreement with the Indiana County Development Corporation to provide dedicated right-of-way and to coordinate project documents.

Additional project funding identified by planning includes a $2,300,000 award from the Commonwealth Financing Authority Multimodal Transportation Fund and county-administered funds provided under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (PWEDA, 42 U.S.C. § 3212). The commissioners authorized a professional-services task order with Gibson-Thomas Engineering Co., Inc. for design, permitting and related services at an estimated design cost of $376,015.86, about 7.5% of the Phase 3C budget; the scope does not include construction inspection at this time.

County staff described the project as a public–private collaboration with the Indiana County Development Corporation, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, and said final construction schedules will depend on permitting, utility coordination and completion of design documents. The board voted unanimously to accept the HUD CPF award and to authorize engineering and cooperative agreements. The project will proceed through design and permitting; no construction contract was awarded at the meeting.