Manchester and Chateau, two neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, are set to be reconnected. This move aims to address the division caused by past city planning and urban development. Historically, these predominantly Black and low-income neighborhoods were divided by the construction of modern highways. The building of Route 65, or Ohio River Boulevard, during the period from 1946 to 1973, resulted in Chateau becoming a separate neighborhood from Manchester. This separation led to a significant decrease in the area’s population.
A $1.4 million federal Department of Transportation grant is facilitating the reconnection of these neighborhoods. This grant, announced last year, is part of the new Reconnecting Communities program under President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Allegheny County and Pittsburgh officials, including U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, former County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and Mayor Ed Gainey, have shown strong support for the program. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee described the highway’s construction as an example of flawed urban planning.