New Hempfield municipal complex connection will extend to Five Star Trail

While construction at Hempfield’s new municipal complex continues, the township was awarded a $1.76 million state grant that will connect the site to the Five Star Trail.

Township Manager Aaron Siko said the money will be spent to realign Spruce Street and create a shared lane for bicycles along Rugh Street to Broad Street and connect with the rail trail nearby.

“That was the largest grant in the county, and one of only two, and one of the largest in the state,” he said. “With that, that will allow us to keep that momentum moving forward on that project.”

The money is from the state Department of Community and Economic Development Multimodal Transportation Fund.

The 43-acre multimillion-dollar municipal complex will hold township offices, a park and an emergency command headquarters off Weatherwood Lane and Mt. Pleasant Road. Work started there in August, and a multipurpose building has been erected while infrastructure work continues. The project’s first phase will be the construction of a 14-acre park with a splash pad, pavilion and a nature area with fitness amenities.

“At this point, we are pretty well on schedule,” Siko said.

Work through the multimodal grant will include realignment of Spruce Street at its intersection with Summit Drive and Rugh Street, just off the Cedar Street exit from Route 30 west. The township will be acquiring a property at that intersection, Siko said.

In addition to having a shared bicycle lane on Rugh Street, that lane will continue on Gibralter Way under Route 30 into South Greensburg. Siko said the goal is to connect the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg campus to the new municipal complex. He expects design work to start this year with construction beginning in 2026.

“The expansion down Rugh Street there and the connectivity to the Five Star Trail, as well as the alignment of that intersection, are great improvements to that area,” Supervisor Bill Bretz said.

Supervisor Doug Weimer agreed.

“The board of supervisors views this project as another key step in reconnecting communities divided by the U.S. 30 bypass and continuing to expand Hempfield’s appeal to individuals and families seeking active transportation alternatives,” he said.