New plan would improve streets in North Side for bikers, walkers
MoveForwardPGH and Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure announced the proposed plans for the second phase of its North Side Project Cluster to improve biking and walking conditions on various streets on the North Side.
The North Side Network Phase 2, which was proposed to the public last week during an online presentation, focuses on making improvements to:
• Pennsylvania Avenue from Brighton Road to Manhattan Avenue
• Perrysville Avenue from Charles Street to Maridale Avenue
• Marshall Avenue from California Avenue to Brighton Road
• Riverview Drive from Maridale Avenue to Riverview Avenue
The project also plans to connect the Chateau Trail to Riverview Park and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail to Allegheny Commons Park.
“The streets identified in this second phase of North Side projects are critical in creating a clearly connected, safe way for residents to get around the North Side by bike,” said MoveForwardPGH, which is part of an awareness campaign created by the mobility department to help implement the department’s Bike(+) Plan that was announced in June. “This is important for the city to reach safety and climate goals, as well as helping keep Pittsburgh affordable.”
To achieve that goal, the plan has proposed increased signage and shared lane markings on multiple streets. DOMI has also proposed adding speed humps and traffic circles like the one that was being tested last summer on North Euclid Avenue in Highland Park in areas where speeding and pedestrian visibility are issues.
In some places, like the intersection of Woods Run and Central Avenue, DOMI plans to relocate the pedestrian crosswalk due to “known speeding issues” and the fact the street curves at that location, Nick Ross, the chief municipal traffic engineer with DOMI, said during the meeting.
Phase 1 of the North Side Project Cluster, which was proposed to the public in mid-March, suggested improvements in the
Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods. About 8 miles of bike infrastructure will be added or improved upon during the North Side project, officials with MoveForwardPGH said during last week’s presentation. Both phases are still in planning stages, and MoveForwardPGH is currently seeking community feedback on the proposed plans for these routes before it begins meeting with stakeholders, according to a brief timeline laid out during the presentation.
In mid-February, DOMI and MoveForwardPGH had announced new imp r o v e m e n t s for the Shadyside and Squirrel Hill area. For the rest of 2021, they expect to announce plans for seven other neighborhood s: Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, Stanton Heights, East Liberty, the West End, the South Side and the Downtown/Strip District area.