PITTSBURGH Plan to develop area around airport

IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) -- The heads of government in Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties signed an agreement to work together to develop the area around Pittsburgh International Airport.
The airport is in western Allegheny County, and near the borders of the other counties. Since it opened in 1992, the airport has been recognized as one of the best in the country, but has never spurred the development that planners hoped.
Officials say about 15,000 acres of land in the three counties is ripe for development.
"This is something unheard of, the three of us working together," Washington County Commission Chairman John Bevec said Tuesday. Bevec was referring to himself, Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey and Beaver County Commission Chairman Dan Donatella.
To help spur development, the officials want to push for more ramps to access land between Interstate 79 and the Parkway West, and to keep the airport as a main US Airways hub.
The three officials plan to meet at least quarterly and promised to share financial and other resources.