{"id":2483,"date":"2024-05-04T21:59:23","date_gmt":"2024-05-05T01:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pahighways.com\/blog\/?p=2483"},"modified":"2024-08-22T15:28:49","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:28:49","slug":"swpa25-meet-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pahighways.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/04\/swpa25-meet-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"SWPA25 Meet Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a cold and blustery afternoon on February 27, 1999, when the first recorded road enthusiast meet took place in Greensburg.\u00a0 Here we are, a quarter-century later, and meets have taken place across the country.\u00a0 Not only has it been awhile since a SWPA (Southwestern Pennsylvania) meet took place, but it was time to commemorate that first one with the SWPA25 Meet.<\/p>\r\n

\"Group
The first meet’s group picture.\u00a0 Left to right: Chris Cuomo, Bruce Cridlebaugh’s daughter, Bruce Cridlebaugh, Adam Prince, and Jeff Kitsko<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

The meet began at 11 AM at Luciano’s Italian Brick Oven<\/a> in White Oak, just outside McKeesport.\u00a0 I picked this restaurant because it had a private room.\u00a0 I also knew how good the food is from frequenting it many times over the years.\u00a0 Also, the restaurant’s rear parking lot would have sat under the alignment of the cancelled North-South Parkway<\/a> a.k.a. the “New 48.”\u00a0 It would have run along the hillside above.<\/p>\r\n

\"Map
The path of the proposed North-South Parkway (“New 48”) in relation to Luciano’s Italian Brick Oven. (Rand McNally)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

My gift to attendees were copies of the new 2024 Pennsylvania road maps, which I drove out to the welcome center on Interstate 70 just east of West Virginia to obtain.\u00a0 The last time I did that was for the 2003 SWPA Meet, but it went much better this time around.\u00a0 Instead of them looking at me like I was speaking gibberish, the staff was very helpful when I asked for a block of them.\u00a0 They gave me two blocks, so I’ll have 2024 maps to give away until SWPA50!<\/p>\r\n

I also had issues dating back to 2005 in case anyone wanted to fill gaps in their collection. Along with the maps, I brought a copy of the first SWPA meet group picture taken back in February 1999.\u00a0 It was taken at the first office of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 Since 2009, the organization has called the Johnson House along the eastbound lanes of US 30 (the original path of the Lincoln Highway) at the southern terminus of PA 217 southeast of Latrobe home.<\/p>\r\n

Lunch began by me welcoming everyone who decided to come out on that iffy weather day.\u00a0 As the servers were passing out our drinks and salads or soups, Craig White from JMT, a consultant on the project, gave a presentation.\u00a0 He talked about the portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway<\/a> currently under construction from PA 51 to near Dravosburg.\u00a0 He brought posters detailing the project, which may be found at the website<\/a> for this section.<\/p>\r\n

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