In August and September of 2024, Resilient Future Consulting led the development of a grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP). The application was successfully awarded and funded for a total of $800,000 in January 2025. This work was supported by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub on behalf of the Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments (TCVCOG) and the Steel Rivers Council of Governments (SRCOG), two key regional entities focused on revitalizing communities throughout the Monongahela Valley (Mon Valley).

The RCP is the first federal initiative dedicated to reconnecting neighborhoods and communities divided by past transportation infrastructure decisions. In the Mon Valley, legacy infrastructure like the PA-130/Braddock Avenue corridor and two major freight rail lines have physically divided five boroughs—Braddock, North Braddock, East Pittsburgh, Turtle Creek, and Wilmerding—limiting access to jobs, food, services, and economic opportunity. The region’s long history of disinvestment, combined with fragmented governance and mid-century urban renewal policies, has deepened these divides and left many communities without safe, walkable, or connected options for mobility.

The application proposed the Turtle Creek Valley Rail and Road Corridor Alternatives Study, a first-of-its-kind feasibility and planning effort to address these challenges. The project will include a robust community engagement process and a detailed analysis of potential transportation, land use, and design alternatives. It will identify solutions that reconnect communities, support equitable development, and lay the groundwork for future capital improvements.

As part of the grant development and process, Resilient Future Consulting supported the effort in the following roles:

Project Manager: Led the full grant development process, including an in-depth regional analysis of strong candidates for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Coordinated closely with the SWPA Municipal Project Hub, local government partners, regional stakeholders, and elected officials at both the state and federal levels. Directed outreach efforts, assembled technical content, and ensured that all elements of the application were delivered on time and met USDOT requirements.

Community and Policy Strategist: Helped shape the grant narrative to reflect the complex challenges and opportunities unique to the Mon Valley. Drew on extensive knowledge of federal funding programs, climate resilience, and transportation equity to position the application as a compelling case for national investment. Supported community and stakeholder outreach efforts, especially with regard to letters of support, which were a crucial element of a successful federal grant.

Lead Grant Writer: Wrote and crafted the grant text and format in a detailed, historical, fact-driven narrative that sought to make maximum impact. The application made a strong case for why the Turtle Creek Valley needed federal support to kickstart its revitalization, addressing decades of structural disinvestment, infrastructure decline, and environmental and public health burdens.

This grant represents the first coordinated planning initiative of its kind for the Turtle Creek Valley and a major step forward in repairing the barriers left behind by industrial infrastructure. It will support equitable access, improve transportation safety, and reconnect communities to opportunity.

Read the official press release from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub
Learn more about the USDOT Reconnecting Communities Program