Mission Statement

The mission of UCSUR is to work collaboratively to conduct interdisciplinary research that improves communities and addresses social, economic, health, and policy issues most relevant to   society.  more...

May 2018

Pittsburgh Economic Quarterly (PEQ), April 2018.  Articles include "Do Lead Water Laterals Affect Property Values?" and "Geography of Population Migration Flows Impacting the Pittsburgh Region."  Also, learn about UCSUR's ongoing partnership with RAND and the PHRESH - Pittsburgh Hill / Homewood Research on Neighborhood Change & Health project. 

Thank you for attending another year of Brown Bag Seminars.  

Sept 1, 2017

Scott R. Beach, Interim UCSUR Director, has been awarded a five-year $3.2 million grant from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The study will explore risk factors for financial frauds and scams in 700 adults age 60 and older.  Read more...

February 2018

Evaluating Bicycle, Pedestrian, Transit and Economic Data Collection Needs and Measures of Effectiveness in Pennsylvania.  The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the current data collection procedures for bicycle and pedestrian projects utilized by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania's Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs). The evaluation has assessed how additional data collection could support Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) for planning and design activities. 

May 2018, Michael Blackhurst, PhD

Predicting Lead Water Service Line Locations for Improving Mitigation Strategies.  In this study, data describing the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s (PWSA) drinking water distribution system were merged with property data to develop predictive models of lead service line locations. Following expected historical development patterns, the lateral material at neighboring properties was the best predictor of lead laterals. The date of lateral installation and date of inspection were also good predictors. The year a property was built provided acceptable prediction. The model was 78% accurate in predicting lead laterals identified through recent inspections. Using a combination of recent inspections and predictions, this study estimates that approximately 39,000 lead laterals are in PWSA’s service area.

April 2018

Do lead water laterals affect property values?  A Case Study of Pittsburgh, PA.  This study explores whether the expected presence of a lead water lateral affects property sales in Pittsburgh, PA.  Lead water laterals are the primary source of lead in drinking water in the U.S. Full replacements require both municipalities and property owners to agree to replace their portion. Line replacements are expensive to the extent that property owners may not feel the benefits of replacement are worth the costs. Improved understanding of how property owners make decisions regarding lead water laterals can help with mitigation, particularly when mitigation strategies involve providing public incentives for lateral replacement.

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