(Washington, DC) - U.S. Representative Jason Altmire (PA-4) announced today that he has secured $625,000 for a section of the future I-376 Corridor in Lawrence County.  The funding was included in the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill for FY 2008 (H.R. 3074) which passed Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 268 to 153.  H.R. 3074 must be approved by the U.S. Senate and the President of the United States before it becomes final and the funding is made available to the recipient, the Lawrence County Planning Office. 

"This investment is a critical step forward in making the future I-376 corridor a reality," said Congressman Altmire.  "This funding will help upgrade the Route 60/422 Interchange to meet the federal safety standards required to advance the project.  The I-376 corridor will provide a valuable link between Lawrence County and the rest of our region, creating jobs and spurring further economic development."    

The $625,000 will be used to fund upgrades to the Route 60/422 Interchange in Union Township.   The project would include expanding the on and off ramps at the interchange from a single lane to double lane access.  

"The redesignation of State Route 60 to Interstate 376 continues to be a very high priority for Lawrence County," said Dan Vogler, Chairman of the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners.  "I commend Congressman Altmire for his commitment to this important issue and thank him for his efforts towards securing funding for the modifications that are needed at the junction of Route 60 and Route 422 in Union Township. Our collective ongoing efforts towards economic enhancement for our County and our region will be strengthened by Mr. Altmire's work on this issue." 

"This is a positive development for our community," said Linda Nitch, Executive Director of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation.  "I-376 is an opportunity to better market Lawrence County to site selectors and businesses along the interstate corridor."