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Senator Catharine Young will be hosting a roundtable discussion this Thursday with key transportation, tourism, labor, logistics, education, banking and health care officials from around the region to discuss the importance of completing the NY Route 219/Continental 1 expansion project in New York. The “Route 219: Road to Our Future” forum will focus on finding ways to improve the state, local and regional efforts for reviving the north-south expressway project that is hoped to open the region to new trade markets that will bring new jobs and economic development opportunities. A completed Route 219/Continental 1 will provide Western New York with a nationally significant trade corridor connection from Toronto to Miami using 1,300 miles of completed interstate highways. Completing approximately 20 miles of Route 219 is the essential connection for the New York State portion of the route. Senator Young, joined by members of the Western New York Legislative Delegation, will host Thursday...

US Senator Bob Casey has introduced a bill that he hopes will lead to the completion of Route 219. Casey and Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland say their bill would facilitate the completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System. Casey said in a news release, “This bill will build Pennsylvania infrastructure and create jobs. Unlocking existing unspent balances among state transportation agencies will allow Appalachian Development Highway Systems to move forward and for work to be finished on Route 219.” Construction of the highway system was authorized by Congress in 1965 and is 88 percent complete. The remainder of the highway must be built in the mid-Atlantic portion of Appalachia and difficult terrain makes construction costly. The bill would allow states in the region to use toll credits as matching funds for projects critical to the completion of the highway system.

Continental 1 has appointed Philip Scherer as executive director. He has extensive involvement in management, cross-border and economic issues during his career at Niagara University, where he is an economics professor. Scherer says he’s looking forward to meeting with Continental 1 stakeholders from Toronto to Miami on the completion of Route 219 in New York and Pennsylvania as a safe and sustainable 4-lane highway. e-mail from Continental 1

Nearly 3,000 jobs will be created by the expansion and completion of Route 219, according to a study released today. Dr. Shailendra Gajanan's study estimates that more than 1,700 new jobs will be added in Erie and Cattaraugus counties in New York, and in McKean, Clearfield and Jefferson counties in Pennsylvania related to construction. An estimated 1,200 additional new jobs will be created due to direct or indirect effects of the expansion. "In recent years, there has been a growing interest to study the economic impact of trade corridors," Gajanan said. "Several groups in North America, Latin America and Europe have started focusing on the positive spillover effects of expanding corridors and realizing the importance of funding for corridors development." The study also suggests that, over 20 years, the completion of Continental 1 (Route 219) will increase the Gross Regional Product in Pennsylvania and New York by $200 million, with most of the impact in Erie, ...