OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA TRANSIT Officials reach across border to coordinate plans

The realignment was necessary due to a U.S. Census decision.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments is forming an alliance with the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission to better combine resources on transportation projects that affect both entities.
Eastgate, which organizes transportation planning in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, signed an agreement with Mercer's planning commission, which handles similar responsibilities in that Pennsylvania county, to coordinate transportation plans in the three counties along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, said John R. Getchey, Eastgate's executive director.
The reason for the alignment, Getchey said Monday, is the 2000 U.S. Census placed the Sharon, Pa., metropolitan area in with the Youngstown-Warren metropolitan area. Because of that, federal transit funding that formerly went to both entities is now in "one pot," he said.
"We'll be better able to coordinate how the federal transit funding is spent in the three counties if we are working together," Getchey said. "We've always worked together, but this agreement will allow us to coordinate our plans a little closer."
The two entities will meet about four times a year to discuss transportation issues, Getchey said.
Long-range plan
Eastgate and Mercer will develop a combined long-range plan -- both have individual plans -- and the two groups will work together in the development and data collection of transportation information, according to the agreement.
"If there are projects that combine the two areas, we'll be able to coordinate it," Getchey said. "We'll have a mechanism in place to coordinate our plans better."
The two groups will work to identify projects of regional significance, select projects in the area for state and/or federal funding by working together and sharing resources, and addressing issues that affect both areas.
skolnick@vindy.com