Lawmakers Unveil Jack Wise Interchange in Moon

The Ewing Road Interchange, which recently underwent a series of improvements, has been named in honor of a former township supervisor credited with spurring transportation development in the community. 

The roundabout intersection is now the Jack Wise Interchange. Wise served on the Moon Township Board of Supervisors from 1981 to 1989, including in the role of chairman. 

State Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Moon, and state Sen. Matt Smith ushered in the name change during a community ceremony on March 14. Gov. Corbett signed the name change into law in October 2012. 

Wise, who attended the ceremony at the Moon Municipal Building alongside family, addressed current and former township officials at the event. 

Jerry Bunda, a former Moon assistant manager, credited Wise with spearheading efforts to secure funding for improvements to the Thorn Run Road Interchange, which was recently named in honor of former supervisor Robert Harper. 

Bunda said intersection upgrades, including the one at Thorn Run Road Extension, have been key to development in Moon.

"The development that we have (in Moon Township) was paid for with that interchange," Bunda said. "The tax base that we have here is because of (those interchange improvements.)" 

Wise, a former candidate for the state legislature, was also a member of the Moon Transportation Authority and the Thorn Run Interchange Group. 

Bunda said the Thorn Run Interchange a "safety threat" prior to 1991, when the intersection re-opened after a series of improvements. 

"It was absolutely a safety hazard," Bunda said. "And what you have now is a more free-flowing area." 

The Allegheny County Airport Authority in 2011 installed a roundabout at the intersection of Ewing Road and Interstate 376—the area now named in recognition of Wise. 

The roundabout was built to accommodate increased traffic in the area. 

Wise credited fellow members of his board for aiding in the efforts to improve the Thorn Run Interchange. 

"It's a five person board, you've got to have three votes to get anything done," Wise said. 

"You can't get things done without a great board."