Mon Valley Forward
A Targeted Economic Development Strategy for the Mon Valley
Mon Valley Forward is a focused effort to strengthen economic competitiveness in the Mon Valley by guiding business attraction, job creation, site readiness, workforce alignment, and strategic public investment. The Mon Valley includes communities along the Monongahela River in southeastern Allegheny County and nearby municipalities that share economic, transportation, and workforce connections to the river corridor.
Led by Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) and the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, in partnership with Senator Nick Pisciottano and regional stakeholders, Mon Valley Forward is designed to produce a clear, data-informed, implementation-ready strategy that helps move the region forward.
Why this Work Matters
The Mon Valley has long been central to Allegheny County’s economic story. But despite major public investment over the years, many communities continue to face barriers to growth and reinvestment. Mon Valley Forward is intended to help Allegheny County and its partners make more targeted, coordinated, and catalytic decisions by grounding future action in current data, previous planning efforts, local priorities, and realistic market conditions. This strategy will help identify where public tools, infrastructure, partnerships, and policy alignment can have the greatest impact.
How it Relates to Allegheny Forward
Mon Valley Forward is aligned with Allegheny Forward, Allegheny County’s countywide comprehensive plan, but it is not the same process.
Allegheny Forward is the county’s broader long-range framework for growth, development, infrastructure, conservation, and opportunity across all of Allegheny County.
Mon Valley Forward is a more targeted strategy focused specifically on economic development and strategy in the Mon Valley and is moving on a faster timeline. This will be informed in part by previous planning efforts and stakeholder engagement
The findings, data, and recommendations from Mon Valley Forward will help inform Allegheny Forward’s work in the Mon Valley.
Share a Plan, Data Resource, or Relevant Work
Mon Valley Forward is a strategic investment and economic development strategy that will be informed by existing plans developed in Mon Valley communities.
We are especially interested in materials related to:
- Site development and redevelopment
- Transportation, mobility, and access
- Workforce development and job access
- Economic development strategies
- Infrastructure and investment readiness
Please email relevant plans, reports, or resources to: monvalleyforward@alleghenycounty.us.
What This Is and What This Isn't
Mon Valley Forward is intended to focus on strategic investment, implementation readiness, and economic opportunity.
Mon Valley Forward is:
- A targeted economic development strategy
- A tool to guide investment and implementation
- A way to identify high-impact opportunities and priorities
- A collaborative effort grounded in data, existing planning, and stakeholder input
Mon Valley Forward is not:
- A standalone countywide comprehensive plan
- A visioning session that will speak to a broad range of social challenges and opportunities
- A replacement for Allegheny Forward or local municipal planning efforts
Process and Timeline
Mon Valley Forward is being developed through a phased process focused on building a strong foundation for action.
The first phase runs from Fall 2025 through Spring 2026 and includes:
- Review of prior planning and implementation progress
- Updated demographic, economic, and real estate analysis
- Strengths, opportunities, and strategic positioning
- Identification of near-term priorities and fundable projects
- Development of a strategy brief and communication tools
Partners
Mon Valley Forward is being developed through a collaborative process involving local, county, regional, state, and federal partners.
Partners include, but are not limited to: