BikePGH’s Membership Challenge Week 2

Week 2 Challenge: Landmarks

Pittsburgh is a city of landmarks. Bridges, vistas, historic buildings, you name it! This week’s challenge is to design a walking or biking route that features landmarks of your choice, then get outside and roll & stroll! 

Step 1:

Choose your landmarks! Wondering where to begin? Pick a landmark from each of these categories and see if you can create a route that includes them all! 

A bridge – Pittsburgh is home to 446 bridges, including most major architectural bridge types (cantilever, arch, suspension, etc.) and almost forty that span a river. 

A historic building – In a survey of 50 American cities, Pittsburgh was found to have the fourth highest number of buildings older than 1940. Over 13,500 historic properties are documented in the City’s records; and, this number will only increase as more are recorded and appropriately designated. 

A historical plaque – Since 1968, the Pittsburgh Historical Landmarks Foundation has awarded 593 Historic Landmark Plaques. An Historic Landmark plaque identifies the site as a significant part of our local heritage.

A place where something used to be – Pittsburghers are known to give directions with statements like “turn right where the old Isaly’s used to be”. Take a  look into your neighborhood’s history to see what has changed. 

A water tower – PWSA maintains five reservoirs and 11 tanks, with a capacity of over 455 million gallons of water! Many Pittsburghers use these water towers as landmarks for navigating. 

A significant place in your neighborhood – Is there a historical or cultural site that only true locals know about? 

A monument – There are many monuments around Pittsburgh commemorating people and events in our history. Cemeteries are a good place to find them!

A view – Pittsburgh’s hills offer remarkable perspectives of our beautiful city. From a peek of skyscrapers through the treetops, to panoramic views of neighborhoods. See if you can find a vista off of the beaten track. 

A place that is special to you – Maybe it’s the place you met a good friend, or where you had your first kiss. Your elementary school, or your favorite quiet spot. 

 Bike infrastructure – Do you know where Pittsburgh’s very first bike lanes are? Read a bit about the history here and learn where Pittsburgh’s oldest bike infrastructure is! 


Step 2:

Use BikePGH’s Bike Map or the mapping tool of your choice to plan your walk or ride to the landmark.

Pick up a free paper map at the bike fix-it stand in front of the BikePGH office (188 43rd St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201)

Step 3:

Put on your walking shoes or grab your bike and head out on your adventure!

Be sure to bring everything you might need:

  • Water 
  • Snacks
  • Mask
  • Basic bike tools

Step 4:

Explore your landmarks! Follow your route to check out your chosen landmarks. Find a plaque or interpretive sign if there is one, and learn something new. Take some selfies with your landmarks! Do they have a special memory attached to them? Did you see spectacular view? Share your adventure with us!


Follow along on our adventure!

I’m Christine, the Business Relationship Manager and “token suburbanite” at BikePGH. I live in West View (6 miles North of “Tahn” for yinz city-people) and, with a toddler in tow, I’m going to show you the “landmarks” around my little borough.

Hazel and I masked up for our adventure. For our walks, I ask my 3 1/2 which direction she wanted to go at every corner. This way, we practice our “lefts” and our “rights” and she gets to feel like she’s in control of our journey. Here’s what we saw on our walk!


Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Activity Level: Low 

Duration: 10 minutes – as long as you want!

The BikePGH bike map contains 16 icons, representing notable places and landmarks from our city. Can you tell which iconic Pittsburgh landmark each symbol represents?

If you need a hint, search through the full downloadable version of the Pittsburgh Bike Map to find the landmarks and their locations by neighborhood! Fill in your guesses under each symbol on the board, and tag us with a photo of your completed board on Instagram @BikePGH


 Resources

Not sure where to begin? Check out some of these great resources: