PENN HILLS – February 11, 2025 – State Reps. Joe McAndrew and La’Tasha D. Mayes, both D-Allegheny, joined city of Pittsburgh officials for a news conference on to present a $250,000 award for the paving of East Hills Drive in Penn Hills, which will connect the East Hills community in the City of Pittsburgh.
Attendees at the event included:
- Bishop Donald Clay – Petra International Ministries.
- State Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes – grant sponsor.
- State Rep. Joe McAndrew – grant sponsor.
- Sen. Jay Costa – D-Allegheny.
- Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey.
- Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley – District 9, which includes East Hills.
- Simone McMeans – Deputy Director, Allegheny County Economic Development.
A major thoroughfare to the East Hills community, East Hills Drive, which runs from Frankstown Road in Penn Hills to the entrance to the East Hills community in the city of Pittsburgh, has been a significant thoroughfare for private and public traffic for over 50 years.
The road fell into a significant state of disrepair due to claims on who owned the street and a lack of funding. For multiple decades, many elected officials have tried and failed to have the road paved.
The road, which needs to be reconstructed, is owned by Tamion Enterprises, the nonprofit branch of Petra Ministries located on Eastgate Drive on an outparcel of the former East Hills Shopping Center. With the state grant funds necessary to finance that project, private vehicles, traffic to and from Petra Ministries, emergency vehicles, Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses, food pantry trucks and school buses serving Imani Christian Academy will resume easy access to the East Hills community.
Tamion Enterprises plans to install fencing along the roadway to deter dumping.
“It was my privilege to bring state and city government officials to the same table to get this project underway for our mutual constituents,” McAndrew said. “Residents in this area have been suffering for a long time, forced to find other routes to access the East Hills community.”
“Receiving this funding to rehabilitate East Hills Drive in Penn Hills is essential for our community. This road serves as a critical link between two vibrant neighborhoods, and its improvement will enhance safety, promote accessibility, and foster stronger connections. We are grateful for this investment in our infrastructure and the positive impact it will have on our residents’ daily lives, quality of life and our local economy,” Mayes said.
“This project is a wonderful example of how various levels of government can collaborate to find meaningful solutions to our challenges,” Mosley said. “When our elected officials work strategically with our community stakeholders, we can tackle the critical issues we face and bring real change.”
This project was financed (in part) by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County.