Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and words of the below guest blog post do not necessarily represent or express those of BikePGH. They are solely those of the author. 

Etna is becoming more friendly for people that bike and walk

Guest Blog Post written by the Etna Pedestrian Alliance

The Borough of Etna may only cover 1 mile along the Allegheny River, but a lot is going on in this small community that shares a bridge with the City of Pittsburgh. On Saturday, October 9th, the Etna ECO park opened to great fanfare after years of planning and execution. Situated on the corners of Wilson St. and Grant Ave., what was once a derelict building has been converted to a multi-use area available to the community with local plants, artwork from a talented resident, and a little library.

This park was a labor of love between the Borough, the Etna Community Organization, and the Triboro Ecodistrict. Mayor Tom Rengers cut the ribbon, and the festivities began, which included speakers representing various stakeholders, concerts from local musicians, food trucks, and activities for the children in attendance. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and see what an empty lot can become for everyone to use.

Etna Riverfront Park Grand Opening Celebration, October 22

Speaking of parks, soon, the long-awaited Etna Riverfront Park will have its grand opening. Local officials and community groups will attend this ceremony at 1:30 pm, followed by a celebration in the evening. From 5 pm until 8 pm, there will be music, vendors, and food trucks kicking off what has been a long-time dream of the Borough and other organizations. All of these festivities will occur under the 62nd Street Bridge at the newly converted abandoned industrial site. The trail, which will extend along the banks of the Allegheny to the Shaler Township line, is slated to open sometime in the spring. We at EtPeds echo everyone’s sentiment in hoping that the trail will connect to Millvale very soon. Information about the grand opening can be found here, courtesy of the Borough: https://fb.me/e/2xSD7tfxk 

Community Bike Ride with Etna Pedestrian Alliance and Walk Bike Shaler, October 24

On Sunday, October 24th, we (Etna Pedestrian Alliance) will be teaming up with our friends from Walk Bike Shaler for a no-drop casual bike ride along the proposed Little Pine Creek Connector. The ride will start at 9 am at Kiwanis Park in Shaler, and we will make our way down to the Riverfront, stopping briefly at the Etna ECO park. After spending some time at the newest park, we will head back up to Shaler. There is also the option of starting in Etna and riding to Kiwanis and back. Folks interested in that option can meet us under the 62nd Street Bridge parking area, and we will depart there at 10 am. More details can be found on our Facebook event page https://fb.me/e/11XuejPhx.

Through all of the changes and new amenities coming to Etna, pedestrian safety and infrastructure have been at the forefront of a lot of the revitalizations that have been happening. To keep up to date with what’s going on in our community, be sure to follow these organizations and entities on various social media platforms: Borough of Etna, Etna ECO, Triboro Ecodistrict, and the Etna Pedestrian Alliance. See yinz out there! 

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Want to get more involved with making Pittsburgh better for biking and walking? Become a bike/ped advocate. There are over 20 neighborhood bike/ped committees across the City and surrounding municipalities.

You can find a complete list of them here. You can always start your own committee too! Email anna@bikepgh.org for more information.