Show your support for a car free Serpentine Dr in Schenley Park

As a scenic, twisty road through the historic Schenley Park, Serpentine Dr lives up to its name. While it has long been a destination for cyclists and walkers, these park users would also have to contend with motor vehicles, who often aren’t too keen on sharing the road, even within a park.

That all changed in 2019, when a tri-axle truck slipped off the road and nearly tumbled down the hillside, requiring a tricky rescue mission while destroying 80 feet of a historic stone wall in its wake.

The City quickly closed Serpentine Dr to motor vehicles, giving residents a chance to experience the street and enjoy the park in new ways. The space quickly filled with people walking their dogs, kids playing, and just generally made for a better park experience.

Then, after some temporary repairs to the wall in 2021, the City decided to open the road back up to motor vehicles, but in the downhill direction only. They installed an uphill flexpost-protected bike lane and downhill sharrows. The design was met with lukewarm reviews with walkers confined to a smaller space, bicyclists having trouble climbing the road around the sharp, steep curve, and drivers having trouble steering through the flexposts.

It’s clear that the road is not an integral part of the motor vehicle network and would serve residents much better as an area for park users to enjoy Schenley Park without motorized vehicles.

In 2024, the City’s DOMI conducted public feedback that overwhelmingly supported permanently keeping Serpentine a road for non-motorized use. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, “Of the 179 responses received there, 129 people supported the decision to close Serpentine to vehicle traffic and 27 opposed the plan. The remaining responses were neutral or asking questions.”

They recently restored the historic wall, bringing back the charm of the street. These changes will also save the city money in the long run, as maintenance costs for Serpentine will drop dramatically without damage due to heavy vehicles or poor driving.

However, a group of residents from the Squirrel Hill Historic Society want to bring the cars back – the very thing that destroyed the historic wall in the first place. Their main gripe seems to be about how a closed Serpentine increases their travel times through the park. Never mind that the road was never intended as an automobile commuter route as it appears on maps as early as 1911. In fact, the Pittsburgh Plan of 1920-23 discusses roads in parks.  It says that park roadways are unsuitable for cars — cars need “straighter roads and fewer and less abrupt turns,” which certainly applies to Serpentine.  It suggests that the faster cars pose “inconvenience and danger for the pedestrian.” The Plan further gives “special consideration to those who go afoot.” 

As far as planning for use in 2026 and beyond, we share the City’s goals to better connect the bicycling and walking network, and Serpentine Dr serves as a crucial and pleasant connection between Squirrel Hill, Oakland and Greenfield. Schenley Park is a gem, and what better way to experience the park than to walk, bike, run, or simply stare into the trees in a way that Serpentine allows.

If you agree that Serpentine should be open to non-motorized vehicles only, there is a Public Hearing in front of City Council on Thursday, June 4 at 1pm.

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Instructions for making public comments are at Council Meeting Schedule – Pittsburgh, PA — scroll down a little to “Registering for Public Comment”.  It explains how to register to speak (web form or phone call) and how to submit written statements (email).

NOTE: The sign up form requires you to pick either: Favor, Opposed, or Comments. As there are two petitions in the same meeting, it is best to simply check “Comments.” Just be sure you clearly state your position in your comments.

Here are some tips for writing an effective letter or speech to City Council.

• Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Three minutes goes by quicker than you think.
• Three minutes spoken is usually about a single page, double spaced – type them up and practice reading them out loud at least twice with a timer to ensure they’re under 3 minutes.
• Start with your name and your address to ensure you’re a city resident.
• Start by saying clearly which position you’re in support of. ie: I support keeping Serpentine the way it is – for pedestrians, bicyclists, and kids of all ages.
• It’s OK to stop after stating your position if you want! It’s totally fine to keep it simple and end your testimony.
• An effective testimony has a bit of personal story to it. Why exactly will you be better off if it remains car-free? Do you have any stories about personal safety from when it was shared with cars? How has your life or your family’s life has improved with the absence of cars?
• You won’t have time to cover EVERYTHING! Keep your talking points minimal and to the ones that are tne most meaningful to you.
• Then, of course thank the Councilpeople for the opportunity and their time!