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Since the completion of the Mon Fayette Expressway between Cheat Lake and Uniontown, commercial and other traffic between Uniontown and NCWV has increased greatly. Merchants in both Morgantown and Uniontown now regularly advertise in the newspapers of both cities.
Who would have thought that the completion of a four lane highway would have increased commercial and other traffic between two areas...
It was my understanding that four lane highways between certain areas were a waste of tax dollars and completely unneeded.
Depends on the areas involved. These particular areas are rather heavily populated, economically prosperous, and growing. The highway makes perfect sense in that case. Connecting one dying area to another for the purpose of creating hypothetical minimum wage tourism jobs is another matter.
...Uniontown has been hemoraging population since the 60s and sits as one of the poorest communities in the state of PA, amidst one of if not the poorest counties in PA. I know, as I used to live there growing up. There's nothing in Fayette County PA that's worth talking about aside from the mountains and scenery...it's all been sharply going downhill for decades upon decades and never was able to economically reinvent itself after the coal bust during the 60s.
The fact that officials never pushed for a faster completion of this road, or the northern link to Pittsburgh, speaks volumes for how shortsighted the situation really is. The whole county is insular as can be with most people not caring about Morgantown, or even knowing that there's more in Morgantown.
...ummm, Uniontown isn't growing or prosperous. It's been hemoraging population since the 60s and sits as one of the poorest communities in the state of PA, amidst one of if not the poorest counties in PA. I know, as I used to live there growing up. There's nothing in Fayette County PA that's worth talking about...it's all been sharply going downhill for decades upon decades and never was able to economically reinvent itself after the coal bust during the 60s.
Looking at the figures, I think the right word for me to use is stabilized. There is a turnaround of sorts taking place there the past couple of years. I have a hunch the poorest parts of PA would be found in parts of Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Philly, including right in the Pitt campus backyard. It is Pittsburgh that has been rapidly losing population as people move to outlying areas. To a degree, Uniontown is benefitting from that.
Uniontown is getting Pittsburgh spillover as people clamor to get out of the urban morass, and it is also the benefactor of oil and gas development. Opening up the expressway also makes the services available in Morgantown, especially those related to medicine, readily available to the residents of Uniontown and southern Fayette County. It also opens up additional shopping and entertainment opportunities for folks in both communities, including nearby Ohiopyle State Park and the white water adventures there, and it makes it an easy drive to Kennywood from NCWV.
Fayette is one of the poorer counties in PA, but it is not the poorest. Lincoln and Mifflin hold those spots.
If you've been paying attention, you've probably noticed that the Uniontown public bus service now has runs to Morgantown, stopping at Mountaineer Station. There is a lot of traffic now between Uniontown and Morgantown, which is one reason merchants in Uniontown are now advertising in the Morgantown paper. The planned expansion to Ruby Hosptial is also, in part, related to increased usage from Fayette County brought about by easier access from the Mon Fayette. http://www.factbus.com/schedules.htm#b
Making access much easier for the nearly 136,000 residents of Fayette County to Morgantown is a major plus for our area. It can only reap benefits for both areas in the future. https://www.google.com/search?source...ette+County+PA
Last edited by CTMountaineer; 12-21-2013 at 03:22 PM..
...you are way, way, way too overly optimistic. Uniontown and Fayette County are just about dead. I've lived there almost all of my life and also work there in education. 43 barely has anything on it in the way of traffic...and the FACT bus is the butt of more jokes than it has passengers. More businesses in downtown Uniontown close than open, and it has one of the oldest median ages in the country without ANY form of an economy to keep young people within the area. I'm pretty sure that deaths outweigh births annually. Downtown was a total pit until Joe Hardy put money into Main Street to make it more presentable for passers-by in route to Nemacolin...since then,all but one of the businesses that he helped establish in downtown have died off. Essentially, it's lipstick on a pig and even Joe Hardy gave up and pulled out of his own rejuvenation project. Uniontown will easily dip below 10,000 people at the next census.
Nice try...I mean, somebody has to be the optomist, but this one is too much of a stretch.
And you're completely wrong about your PA assumptions...Pittsburgh has reinvented itself and is viewed as one of the up and coming cities right now with projects and growth occurring left and right. It's the one community in SW PA that's experiencing growth and progress while just about everywhere else continues to lose population ..Pittsburgh isn't losing population anymore in any way and has been getting national attention for its gentrification for about 5 years now. It's experiencing residential growth at the city center in particular...Pittsburgh actually has posted population increases each year since the last official census also posted population growth. There's nothing in the way of an exodus to get out of Pittsburgh, people in SW PA try to move to Pittsburgh, Morgantown, or out of state after college. Go snoop around the PA and Pittsburgh forums. Pittsburgh wins more publication awards and makes more big city top 10 lists these days than Morgantown. Not knocking Morgantown, I chose to move here for a good reason, but Pittsburgh is booming at a similar rate and on a much larger scale...the tri-state area is in bad shape aside from Pittsburgh and Morgantown. Areas outside of Pittsburgh in SWPA are very, very similar economically and socially when compared to the poorer areas of WV outside of the North Central corridor...same story, same situation.
...you are way, way, way too overly optimistic. Uniontown and Fayette County are just about dead. I've lived there almost all of my life and also work there in education. 43 barely has anything on it in the way of traffic...and the FACT bus is the butt of more jokes than it has passengers. More businesses in downtown Uniontown close than open, and it has one of the oldest median ages in the country without ANY form of an economy to keep young people within the area. I'm pretty sure that deaths outweigh births annually. Downtown was a total pit until Joe Hardy put money into Main Street to make it more presentable for passers-by in route to Nemacolin...since then,all but one of the businesses that he helped establish in downtown have died off. Essentially, it's lipstick on a pig and even Joe Hardy gave up and pulled out of his own rejuvenation project. Uniontown will easily dip below 10,000 people at the next census.
Nice try...I mean, somebody has to be the optomist, but this one is too much of a stretch.
And you're completely wrong about your PA assumptions...Pittsburgh has reinvented itself and is viewed as one of the up and coming cities right now with projects and growth occurring left and right. It's the one community in SW PA that's experiencing growth and progress while just about everywhere else continues to lose population ..Pittsburgh isn't losing population anymore in any way and has been getting national attention for its gentrification for about 5 years now. It's experiencing residential growth at the city center in particular...Pittsburgh actually has posted population increases each year since the last official census also posted population growth. There's nothing in the way of an exodus to get out of Pittsburgh, people in SW PA try to move to Pittsburgh, Morgantown, or out of state after college. Go snoop around the PA and Pittsburgh forums. Pittsburgh wins more publication awards and makes more big city top 10 lists these days than Morgantown. Not knocking Morgantown, I chose to move here for a good reason, but Pittsburgh is booming at a similar rate and on a much larger scale...the tri-state area is in bad shape aside from Pittsburgh and Morgantown. Areas outside of Pittsburgh in SWPA are very, very similar economically and socially when compared to the poorer areas of WV outside of the North Central corridor...same story, same situation.
I'm glad you found something to be optimistic about with Pittsburgh, but if you actually look at the facts, you will see that what is happening there is actually the same thing that is happening with Uniontown. Population loss has stabilized, but the place is not growing substantially for a city its size. Building 4 skyscrapers in a town that size is a drop in the bucket. It can simply mean replacing current, worn out stock. They don't build anything to last centuries any longer. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says growth in South Fayette is actually more than that taking place in Pittsburgh.
You are probably right about Uniontown's population getting older. And, that is the case in all of West Virgiinia except for NCWV and the Eastern Panhandle, but for Morgantown that is a positive. All those old people need medical care and that FACT bus literally drops them, and the workers from Uniontown who also ride it, right on the Ruby doorstep.
Usage of the Mon Fayette has started out comparatively small, but is steadily increasing according to PA sources. Financing for the final 15 mile segment is expected to drag out for some time due to the fact that population growth in the Philadelphia region is much larger than in western PA, and their needs are greater, but they expect continued growth of traffic due to gas and oil developments. One thing is certain... it is a great road that will eventually reduce the trip to Pittsburgh or from Pittsburgh to Cheat Lake to about one hour.
You're both a little overly optimistic and a little off base here and there. Telecaster as of the 2010 census Pittsburgh population was down again it may have stabilized (fortunately) in post 2010 but it's going to take a few more years to show substantial growth percentage wise. They didn't add 30k people in the 3 years since the last census anyone that thinks that is dreaming and there is no data to support the notion. It's the metro pop that is still strong and CT is correct it's the areas surrounding Pittsburgh such as the airport area, and southern/northern, suburbs and exurbs that are developing. I have watched the buildings go up. These areas are far from poor nor is my area. Fayette County is just one county in the region it doesn't speak for the whole metro.
Everyone knows Fayette County is pretty much a wasteland economically except for tourism and a little industry. I love Ohiopyle of course it's a jewel. There are quite a number of people that feel the expressway was a complete waste of money I assure you. Look I hope they're wrong and that it does help Morgantown and that part of PA overall but I think it remains to be seen at this point.
Uniontown is sort of like a smaller, poorer, less urban Wheeling that never had the Ohio River economy to bolster it back in the day. The two cities are the exact same mileage from Pittsburgh but with quick i70/i79 access, the best highways in the tri-state, we're closer time wise. The NP of WV is doing fine and Wheeling is making a turnaround imo. Our high school has an amazing new performing arts center, they're building a new a sports complex, the university is building more dorms, etc. The Highlands where Cabela's is has packed stores and restaurants and we're right next to the beast Washington County and only about 45 miles from Allegheny County so we get plenty of money from PA as well.
You're both a little overly optimistic and a little off base here and there. Telecaster as of the 2010 census Pittsburgh population was down again it may have stabilized (fortunately) in post 2010 but it's going to take a few more years to show substantial growth percentage wise. They didn't add 30k people in the 3 years since the last census anyone that thinks that is dreaming and there is no data to support the notion. It's the metro pop that is still strong and CT is correct it's the areas surrounding Pittsburgh such as the airport area, and southern/northern, suburbs and exurbs that are developing. I have watched the buildings go up. These areas are far from poor nor is my area. Fayette County is just one county in the region it doesn't speak for the whole metro.
Everyone knows Fayette County is pretty much a wasteland economically except for tourism and a little industry. I love Ohiopyle of course it's a jewel. There are quite a number of people that feel the expressway was a complete waste of money I assure you. Look I hope they're wrong and that it does help Morgantown and that part of PA overall but I think it remains to be seen at this point.
Uniontown is sort of like a smaller, poorer, less urban Wheeling that never had the Ohio River economy to bolster it back in the day. The two cities are the exact same mileage from Pittsburgh but with quick i70/i79 access, the best highways in the tri-state, we're closer time wise. The NP of WV is doing fine and Wheeling is making a turnaround imo. Our high school has an amazing new performing arts center, they're building a new a sports complex, the university is building more dorms, etc. The Highlands where Cabela's is has packed stores and restaurants and we're right next to the beast Washington County and only about 45 miles from Allegheny County so we get plenty of money from PA as well.
I agree with much of what you're saying here. I do believe the Mon Fayette will end up to be a wonderful investment, but it will take time for developments related to oil and gas to help build up the region. Being from Wheeling, I remember the days when that area had 250,000 people and was a thriving industrial hub. While those days are behind us, I see the resurgence there too. Local government in Ohio County has seldom had vision, but The Highlands was a terrific idea that has panned out very nicely. It has also combined with Oil and Gas revenues to make the Gantzers a very wealthy family. People throng to Cabellas from the Pittsburgh region, and many from the Wheeling area now work in the Pittsburgh area too.
Uniontown was never what Wheeling was back in the day, but there were some striking similarities there as well as with Cumberland. All three cities were National Road (National Pike east of Elm Grove) cities, and in every respect but industrially they were quite similar. I don't know how old you are, but if you're near my age you can remember the old Toll House that was by the S Bridge where they once started charging toll on National Road, thus it became a turnpike.
When the finish the Mon Fayette, Uniontown will be even closer to Pittsburgh than is Wheeling via expressway. The problem for them now is that PA 51 comes in on the west side of the tunnels, and since it isn't up to expressway standards, they have the same distance to travel but a more difficult commute due to the quality of the highway. They have to trudge through Pleasant Hills Borough and so forth while Wheeling area commuters have smooth sailing on Interstates all the way to the tunnels bottleneck.
Last edited by CTMountaineer; 12-23-2013 at 07:44 AM..
If I may chime in weeks after the last post, I worked in Uniontown for a while. It is certainly a city that is struggling for any life whatsoever. It is very poor with few positive signs for its outlook. That being said, I have a few friends in the area that are realtors. All of them said that since 43 was opened they've seen an uptick in demand for housing, especially south of Uniontown. It seems that Morgantown's relatively high housing costs coupled with the fast route to Morgantown have driven some folks to look to Uniontown to live. They said there's been an uptick in home values of late.
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