Category: News || By Staff and Wire Reports

A new bridge constructed to carry Greensburg Pike over U.S. Route 30 has opened to the public.

Jim Struzzi, district spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said the span near the North Versailles Township municipal building was officially opened to traffic at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The old bridge was closed to traffic and demolished in March. Although Greensburg Pike is a county-maintained road, the bridge itself is maintained by PennDOT. About 4,700 vehicles use that section of road daily.

Built by Guilsek Construction of Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland County, the new bridge is made of steel girders. The $4.7 million bridge project also included new approaches and drainage upgrades along Greensburg Pike.

Work continues to complete the project, Struzzi said, and periodic restrictions will continue on Greensburg Pike and Route 30 through mid-December.

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Ethnic Crafts, Art on Sale Dec. 4: Ethnic crafts from around the world will be on sale Dec. 4 at Munhall's Pump House at a "Holiday Heritage Market."

The show and sale is being sponsored by Homestead-based Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, said spokeswoman Sherris Moreira, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

Crafts will include Hungarian wood carvings, Bulgarian and Macedonian pottery and Native American beadwork. Artisans will demonstrate carpet making and stained glass, while music will be provided by the Slovenian polka band Grkmania.

Greek, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Carpo-Russyn foods also will be available for sampling or purchase.

The Pump House, once part of the U.S. Steel Homestead Works, was the site of a violent clash between steelworkers and Pinkerton guards during the steel strike of 1892. Now under the auspices of the Rivers of Steel group, it hosts events throughout the year and is one of the few remaining structures from the steel works that once spanned three boroughs.

Moreira said the Holiday Heritage show is now in its second year. For more information, call (412) 464-4060 or visit the Rivers of Steel website.

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Public Invited to View Park Plans: Renovations to the historic South Park Fairgrounds are being planned, and the public is being asked for its input.

County officials will hold a public meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Buffalo Inn in South Park to present design concepts created by GAI Consultants for the development of the fairgrounds and surrounding areas.

Those unable to attend the meeting can complete an online survey. Deadline for the online survey is Wednesday.

"We asked residents to help us create a sustainable development plan for the South Park Fairgrounds that makes the most of this significant public asset," said Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. "We are excited to share the design concepts that were developed in response to the public input process this fall and to determine the best use of this section of South Park."

The public meeting will offer residents and park users a chance to view the design plans and provide additional comments. The effort is part of a program to improve recreational opportunities at the county's nine regional parks.

South Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in South Park Township and Bethel Park, is the second-largest in the county system.

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Kane Cookbooks on Sale: Cookbooks are on sale at the city's Kane Regional Center and three other Kane hospitals, and proceeds benefit programs for residents of the facilities.

"Everyone's Favorite Recipe from the Heart: Volume 2" includes new recipes from county employees, along with a "Healthy Eating" section that contains gluten-free, diabetic and low-calorie recipes.

The book costs $15 or two for $25, and can be purchased while supplies last at Kane Regional Center McKeesport, 100 Ninth Ave.; Kane Regional Center Glen Hazel, 955 Rivermont Drive, Pittsburgh; or at the two other Kane centers in Ross and Scott townships. Sales will benefit the John J. Kane Foundation.

The cookbooks are also being sold from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays in the lobby of the County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave., downtown Pittsburgh, a spokesman said.

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