BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

you think they would make it extra easy to get there by bike

I don't think Patrick is accurate with that statement. There were discrepancies in the city's published traffic plan yesterday, which appeared to prohibit pedestrian/bike traffic on grant and liberty.

However, since yesterday the maps have been revised and one can reasonably interpret a clear passage through liberty and grant to the strip district.

I would believe 311 or Bruce Kraus received my emails - as well as others - citing the inaccuracies between the Secret Service and City Public Safety published maps, because the illustrations have changed.

i'm pretty excited to accidentally be oblivious to some cops and get chased down/clotheslined by a billy club for not showing ID at some point

http://www.g20safety.org/entry_proc.htm

says "ZipCar -> No restriction on access hours". Good news for them.

Anyone have a good sense of where most of the protesting and cop confrontation will happen?

HERE!!!

Now run for your life!

Hehe, seems like they're most interested in protesting McDonald's... and ELDI??? Seriously? I feel like they at least have good intentions, whether or not you agree with how they're taking action.

On a side note: That's a pretty nice website they created for the G20...I wonder why they can't make a better City of Pittsburgh website?? http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us

I understand protesting the military-industrial-oil-caffeine complex, but protesting Victoria's Secret?? They just lost my support!

I was thinking I could avoid it all but it looks like they may be just a block away from me. I had no idea that was a PNC building on Liberty near 28th.

There are only 3 ways to get into town if you are on a bike, in a car or walking. Roberto Clemente/Sixth St Bridge, Smithfield St Bridge and the intersection of Fifth Avenue with Ross Street. Buses and shuttles are permitted on the Seventh Street Bridge but even that traffic will be limited by some rolling security closures - and it will then be bumped to the Sixth Street Bridge. The Ninth Street Bridge is off limits entirely to everyone.

Here is a good map http://www.g20safety.org/map.htm The green areas might be misleading as to how they are titled, but it was not our intention. Just pay attention to the red zone - and know that you cannot go there.

Being able to exit Downtown from any location (outside of the red zone) allows for some flexibility, but you can't always get there.

If you do find instances of conflicting information, please let me know so that we can have it corrected or clarified.

Patrick

Anyone know if the G20 will have any impact on riding through Schenley Park, past Phipps? I guess all the dignitaries are having tea there or some such nonsense, and I've been getting all kinds of spam from people protesting the event. So far the only road closure announcements have been for downtown.

Hehe, seems like they're most interested in protesting McDonald's... and ELDI??? Seriously?

Crap, I thought they'd leave E. Liberty alone. I was hoping to not have to deal with such craziness!!

That being said, I think they're protesting everything with "Development" in the name, which is ridiculous b/c ELDI and OPDC do good things, even if I don't agree with everything they're doing.

I'm leaving the city on the Allegheny passage during all this nonsense. I just hope none of the damn protesters are out in the woods.

I just hope none of the damn protesters are out in the woods.

Haha, one would think that might be where you'd find some of them normally. Every protester and their brother seems to crawl out of the woodwork for G-20 meetings.

Pun slightly intended.

So if the Duquesne bridge is blocked...does that mean the pedestrian portion of it will also be blocked? I have a coworker who was hoping to bike that way into the South Side. In other words, how much are the trails going to be affected by this? Apparently North Shore Trail will be open...how about the Eliza Furnace Trail? (and the connecting bridges such as Smithfield Street?) Will bike/pedestrian access be available there if you're just trying to get around Downtown?

Supposedly all the trails are going to be open.

Saying that, I cannot wait.

I'm riding down with a camera to capture what I can. I don't agree/disagree with the protesters but, they have a right to be there. Maybe I will capture some urban carnage to be a contrast to the nature porn on my flikr page.

I just thought of something, it may sound dum but...

The people representing these countries have no special knowledge or wisdom other than, maybe, above average intelligence. Our leaders are just humans like us, no super powers. So why all the security, its as if they were harmed the hoi polloi would be helpless, starved to death by lack of terrestial gods. So let the damn sparks fly, I'm tired of boredom.

I lie

You lie

We all lie

Hehe, seems like they're most interested in protesting McDonald's... and ELDI??? Seriously?

It's the G-20. Time to protest absolutely everything!

Hey GB, Do you know where i can get some protester repellent for my camping trip.

I thought I read somewhere that the pedestrian/bike access across the Fort Duquesne Bridge would be blocked. I think it is because they will be closing the bridge for periods of time for the caravans of the VIP types.

i think the only real reason obama picked pittsburgh is he likes pamela's pancackes...

a major grant funder of my org is on the protest list. sigh.

I'm a PNC Bank employee (well, a contractor for PNC) and get to work at USX.

Outstanding.

I will be "going about my daily business" down the Eliza Furnace Trail and up Grant Street, if that route is actually open. That'll be at 5:30am or so. When I'm done at 2pm, I'll be able to look out the windows from high up and judge whether I'll be able to safely exit the building.

I won't be leaving town directly, however. I have a friend who owns a shop on 3rd Street. I'll be going over there to help him stand watch.

Hey GB, Do you know where i can get some protester repellent for my camping trip.

Willie, I wish i did...b/c I'd take some with me into Oakland next week.

@Kordite good luck with that. My suggestion is to pack a change of clothes: black military boots, weathered black jeans, a crusty 10-year old red t-shirt and red bandanna to blend in while exiting.

@Kordite good luck with that. My suggestion is to pack a change of clothes: black military boots, weathered black jeans, a crusty 10-year old red t-shirt and red bandanna to blend in while exiting.

Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation Tour Dancer?

How about this?

http://picasaweb.google.com/der.geis/Blog#5379590678026340370

I think the bike cop jacket make's it OK.

As of this AM, the Ft Duquesne walkway (stairs and ramp on the North Shore, anyway) was blocked off with big official-looking gates. The rabid Dobermans, razor wire, and claymore mines were not yet in place; probably delayed in shipping or something.

Meh. I might as well just grit my teeth and commute through the West End this whole bloody week.

This Monday morning, the are a pair of Jersey barriers pre-positioned next to the Bike and Blade station, under the T near the end of the Eliza Furnace Trail. At this point, there's no way of knowing whether they will be used to block access or merely limit access.

Around the bend, there are many more barriers and at the corner of Grant Street and First Avenue they have them lined up to allow pedestrian passage but prevent the possibility of vehicles ramming into the corner of the PNC Firstside Center.

On the plus side, I had no problems bringing my bicycle into USX, that is, after the security guard figured out how to open the handicap door. They are blocking most of the revolving doors and have brought their security station right down to the entrance.

I asked 311 if I can ride through town into the strip last Tuesday. I received a 311 response from Ms. Urbanic on Sunday. She referred me to the G20safety.org website.

I have to work those two days, and I'm biking in. So thursday morning I'll be posting if there's a straight shot through town, or if I had to detour over to the northside.

@sloaps there is no access to downtown via the strip. you'll have to go via northside.

"*If parking at a Strip District lot, please be aware that there will be no walking access from the Strip District lots into Downtown due to the Secret Service’s security perimeter. Commuters must walk into Downtown from the North Side, or take the Port Authority 54C to the North Shore and transfer to a second bus into Downtown." from g20safety.org

Will people have free movement Downtown?

Yes, Downtown will be accessible to everybody, and anybody can leave through any exit. However, if returning by vehicle, residents must come through one of the designated entry points. There will be no restrictions on pedestrians or cyclists. No vehicles will be permitted to drive in the Downtown area except to exit and return to the place of residence.

Will people be able to come and go as they please?

Yes, pedestrian and bicycle traffic is permitted anywhere in the Downtown area. If you would like to enter a place of business within the Secret Service perimeter , you will need to pass through an access point.

I'm going to attempt it and let you know.

i just heard a report where two cyclists were pulled over for not having lights. the police told these two that they are "cracking down" on it and will take people's bikes away from them for not having front and rear lights. so all of the sudden the police have enough time to crack down on this? hmmmm.

be warned people.

this is what the actual law says:

Section 3507. Lamps or other equipment on pedalcycles.

(a) Lamps and reflectors. -- Every pedalcycle when in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped on the front with a lamp which emits a beam of white light intended to illuminate the pedalcycle operator's path and visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front, a red reflector facing to the rear which shall be visible at least 500 feet to the rear, and an amber reflector on each side. Operators of pedalcycles may supplement the required front lamp with a white flashing lamp, light-emitting diode or similar device to enhance their visibility to other traffic and with a lamp emitting a red flashing lamp, light emitting diode or similar device visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear. A lamp or lamps worn by the operator of a pedalcycle shall comply with the requirements of this subsection if the lamp or lamps can be seen at the distances specified.

i should add that they didn't take their bikes away

Thanks for the heads up Erok. People need lights, but in no way should police be able to confiscate a bike for not having proper lights. How would one get his bike back?

good question. i don't think they confiscate cars if you have a taillight out

the subsection also says this:

Section 3502. Penalty for violation of subchapter.

Any person violating any provision of this subchapter is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $10.

They give you a ticket. Most of the time it is just a fix-it ticket, which means you fix the problem (add a light) and you show a cop/public official, have them sign your ticket and you're done. Taking a bike away is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Sounds like some power hungry officer needs to read up on his list of "what I can and can't do".

i think they were told not to look at that book this week

I would think that if you cannot fix it on the spot they could say that you cannot keep riding the bike until its fixed, in other words you have to walk it home on sidewalks.. would make sense to me anyway.

It might make sense, but it's not the law. The law just says you can be fined $10.

Weren't the police departments in Seattle or Portland passing out lights a few months back?

I'm encouraged that the city is paying attention to enforcing these laws. With the folks they're stopping it's probably educating them.

What about either 1. Bumping the law up to $20 and handing the cyclist a light on the spot, or 2. Mail in with the ticket proof that you purchased a light and the fine is waived.

I agree it is not the law to confiscate bikes, but as soon as you get back on your bike with no lights, they can write you another ticket. Rinse/repeat

Also, it looks like this is an offense only between sunset and sunrise, so if you get any hassle on this during daylight hours, I think you can call BS... or the ACLU.

A heads up to folks riding along the North Shore Trail. Although the Post Gazette is reporting that portions of the trail will be blocked tomorrow (Wed 9-23), there is already a barricade in-place today (Tues 9-22 as of around 8am) that prevents riding through.

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bigstory/archive/2009/09/22/portion-of-north-shore-riverwalk-to-be-closed-during-g-20.aspx

The trail is blocked off at around the 7th St bridge. I was able to detour around it, by backtracking to around 9th street, carrying my bike up some stairs, riding through the North Side and rejoining the trail at PNC Park. I'm not sure what the detour options will be Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Also, there was no signage about a trail closing or detour.

Hmmm, another thought: WWBBD?

More significantly, if Bumper Bike Dude were to make an appearance (wherever), what would They do to Him?

I feel for the guy...

it is unacceptable that the police would confiscate a bike for not having lights. period.

barricades are set up all along first avenue, grant and intermittent locations at the downtown end of the jail trail. However, the barricades are positioned to allow free movement of cyclists without car bumpers.

@erok, absolutely.

@ieverhart, good point.

@sloaps, I like the idea of bumping the fine and making it basically a mandatory "we just sold you a headlight" deal.

@everyone, if the police are determined to be as odious as possible this week, then you should know that the PA code also mandates: "an audible signal device" -- and your voice doesn't count -- and "an amber reflector on each side".

Personally, I'm going to go get a bell and some kind of amber reflectors, since my pedals don't have any, and if I'm going to get in a pissing match I want to be sure I'm 100% strictly legal.

Might be a good idea to buy a bunch of bells and hand them out.

An "audible signal device" is not mandatory - 3507(b) says "may" not "must".

indeedy-do, salty. Good thing I'm not a lawyer, huh? Guess it's just the amber reflectors, then. I think I have a pair of old pedal reflectors I can zip-tie on.

SO MANY pedal-officers downtown this afternoon! I would've stopped and attempted to talk to one of them, but they all looked rather menacing.

Has anyone suggested the best places to lock up? I'll probably get down there via 5th, but want to make sure I can get to my bike and go if I feel like I need to.

Maybe bike racks in front of the court house?

erok, what time of day did those light incidents happen?

For all you tweeters follow us @bikepgh for updates throughout the G-20

Im hoping to take smithfield bridge into town, hop over the grant street and take that to liberty into the strip.

Seems i'll be riding really close... and sometimes through some red zones.. Hoping for the best.

Not having that Grant/Liberty/11th intersection is going to make it mighty miserable to get to the Strip from South-ish.

Anthony, I'm guessing you're not going to get through there. Looks to me like you have three options:

(1) Centre through the Hill (actually I prefer Webster, less traffic), L Herron, bend-L to Paulowna, drop into Strip.

(2) Downtown via Smithfield, out on 6th or 7th, bypass protestors on trail by using River, enter Strip via 16SB.

(3) Jail trail to end, Panther Hollow into Oakland, then Neville, L Bayard, R Melwood, L Denver, R Gold (becomes Melwood again), R Herron, L Liberty.

Anyone have any better ideas?

If Panther Hollow is shut off at Boundary/Joncaire (please verify that, someone?), then...

(4) SSide trail past Station Square to West End Bridge (hint: use WCarson sidewalk), carry bike up downstream staircase, bike to Western Ave, to WOhioSt, through or around Allegheny Center, to EOhioSt, R 16thStBr.

Boy, is that a long detour. Lotsa doors on the business part of EOhio, too, so take the lane. EOhio around I-279 is pure hell on a bicycle. Critical Mass went through there a couple months back and got a lot of grief. I pity a solo cyclist.

I thought all this applied to motor vehicle traffic tho.. They have said time and time again peds and cycles will still be permitted.

William Penn Place, from Liberty, is definitely closed off today. I was turned away from passing thru there this morning. Despite the advertised welcoming of pedestrians and cyclists, expect a little more of a challenge in getting around. But be patient and amiable, and you shouldn't have a problem.

I sure hope so. It's not like we're going to be loading up our B.O.B. trailers with mobile rocket launchers.

Janeen, Wm Penn Pl is definitely on the street closures map. It's strange that it's already closed though. I thought it would only be closed as of tomorrow. http://www.g20safety.org/map.htm

I thought so too:) It's getting eerie down here in town already!

On my ride home yesterday I saw a car with Maryland plates parked at the entrance to the Blvd of the Allies off of Fifth in Oak. Three guys standing outside the car, dressed semi-casually with some sort of insignias on their shirts. Guessing it was FBI. Wondering why they would be stationed there...

They were just keeping tabs on you. They left right after you went through.

Yeah I thought it was strange that I spotted them again outside my apt this morning...

When they kick out your front door....how you gonna come....with your hands on your head....

From all of the updates from the http://www.G20saftey.org site why is the P-G still publishing this:

Commuter lots in the Strip District will be open, but the Secret Service security perimeter around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center will prevent anyone without credentials from walking directly into Downtown. Instead, patrons of those lots must take a bus to the North Side and from there either walk or catch a second bus into Downtown, Mr. Stabile said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09266/1000153-482.stm#ixzz0RwN6jgUG

The faqs page on the city's G20safety.org site contradicts Stabile's statement.

I rode through downtown around 10:00am. Liberty and Grant are open, so are Smallman, Penn and Liberty out to the strip. I know they're closing off Grant between 7th Avenue and Liberty because the fences and barricades are already positioned, but I have not found any proof that the city or the secret service will disallow pedestrians and cyclists from traveling the entire length of Liberty Avenue - from downtown and beyond...

I saw 2 Suburban's worth of middle aged guys in polos and khakis open carrying hand guns up on Mt. Washington last night. Private security? I was told Fed's usually have Virginia plates, and Secret Service has DC plates. These Suburbans had Maryland plates.

Between that and the tinted out Tahoes and Town Cars I keep seeing, I am beginning to feel very uncomfortable.

And what the heck are "Homeland Security Police"?

Cops that don't need a proper warrant/probable cause/permission to search your stuff? Terrorist until proven innocent, you are..

Hey, just got back from downtown, not much going on.

Its really fun riding though. Everyone is super cautious. Lot's of non-cyclist cycling (you can tell).

You can really zip around and move.

i did notice a lot of bikes too. especially round the point

Could you go into the park, I saw someone ride up and a cop put his hands up, they talked and the guy turned around. I just kept going not wanting to stop just to be turned around.

i didn't try to go too far in. i was near the vendors

there a big ole cement barricades not deployed but ready to be deployed at the downtown entrances to the jail trail, as well as police surrounding the jail with automatic weapons.. wouldn't be surprised if its a hassle to get into downtown this way tomorrow

I think the barricades at the grant st head of the jail trail are to protect the PNC building. The liberty and wood st PNC plaza has the same setup.

I dont think they are going to block the jail trail but I wouldnt rule out interrogation.

it looked to me as though the jersey barriers surrounding pnc place are deployed precisely how they are meant to be. the sidewalk openings at the light to the smithfield walkway, and at first ave are set up as to allow people through single file, and the rest are just walls. this was as of about 8 pm today.

i biked to the strip for some groceries, then headed downtown nominally to see the concert, and to have a look at what's going on. i'm amazed at the ghost-town atmosphere. everyone was in separate squadrons - riot police (or at least cops in riot gear), bike police, state police. and maybe 30 cars from 28th to the point. at 6pm. i've been in towns preparing for incoming hurricanes, and if all our gas stations were sold out and there were 40-50 car lines at the ones that weren't, it would be about the same. craxy.

I rode around downtown a lot today and tonight, and wasn't hassled by anyone, even once, and always was able to take the route I was testing. A number of intersections downtown have barriers blocking most or all of the lanes, but I always was able to ride through the gaps. Liberty Avenue had some barricades in the street past the History Center but I hopped onto the sidewalk for a few yards and avoided them. William Penn Place was absolutely not a problem on a bike as of Wednesday night (like 9 pm)--I just rolled on through and tried not to get too intimidated.

At the end of the block where the Omni hotel is, I was waiting for the red light to turn green, to continue south. A guy who looked like Omni security said I didn't need to wait for the light--I could just go ahead, since there was no traffic around. I told him I would wait, since this week, of all times, I didn't want to give anyone any excuses to hassle me.

No static heading into town from 2nd avenue.

Grant was blocked at 5th, as published.

I was disallowed to continue through 10th/Commonweath Place and Liberty, as ambiguously illustrated/published. Fence and semi trailers blocking the road.

The attending Homeland Security officer said that area would be blocked for the duration of G20. He said to go up one block, pointing towards Grant, I said it's blocked. He said go up one more, I said there is no one more.

Then he said he wasn't familiar with the area, but that some folks were detoured over the bridge. Nice enough guy, but no traffic information coming from him.

I got the same from a guard at Penn and 9th - gate was open so I figured I'd try. He had no information on the extent of the perimeter or detour streets either.

16th Street Bridge was stacking up a good bit. The right lane to turn onto penn was clear, so I looped over 15th street and onto smallman.

City police are mostly everywhere, which is nice. Rather them than the uninformed, unfamiliar individuals working downtown.

Update on downtown biking:

My supervisor rode in to South Side from Bellevue at 6:30am or so and said Downtown was like a pedestrian mall. Just buses. He flew past the check point on the 6th street bridge...they didn't ask him to stop. He actually had a faster ride through downtown than down the North Shore trail, because the first two entry points (near the county jail and the next one down) were closed for some reason.

I went down 5th, then across Birmingham Bridge and it was like biking in Oakland on a Sunday afternoon rather than 8:00am on a weekday.

On the whole, it seems to be a good day for biking! I think I'm going to go check out downtown later tonight to enjoy the car-free streets.

I cruised over the Smithfield St bridge as well. Too bad no one planned a G20 downtown criterium.

Anyone else listening to the scanners? (I'm out-of-county and can't see this stuff for myself. :[)

"There's a lot of people on bikes down here."

"There was a girl with a backpack full of chains. I don't know which way she went."

Interesting...

"... He's wearing a wifebeater and has a backpack to his left. He's toying with something. We can't make out what it is."

bike + bag = suspicious

I parked on the North Shore, near Sarah Heinz house and biked into town this morning. Spent about an hour riding around. No problems anywhere. In fact, police were going out of their way to be helpful. When I approached a cop (local) at the corner of Seventh and Liberty about restrictions for pedestrians and bicycles beyond the jersey barriers, he said that the regulations seemed to be changing every few minutes. I asked if I could go through at that time, and he pointed to other bikes further in on Liberty and said "sure, go ahead." I got in as far as Liberty at Commonwealth, where the real security cordon is 8 ft fence, serious security.

Penn is closed further west, at Ninth Street.

I understand that with all the excitement at the UN yesterday, most of the delegations are not yet here, and are expected to arrive early this afternoon, as are the press contingents.

I did see a few delegates, including a few on bikes. That was cool.

The Three Sisters Bridges are awesome when closed to traffic. I kept imagining that I was participating in a cyclovia as I rode through. I was missing the hundreds of other cyclists that should have been there, of course......

As far as protesters, I saw one guy carrying a sign, and one group of hipsters that LOOKED like they were looking for something to protest against. Oh, and a small group with a megaphone telling everyone that Jesus wanting to save my soul.

Everything went real smoothly this AM. Very few cars inbound on Butler Street or Smallman to the 31St bridge. They should just keep downtown free of cars all the time ...

That was the best cycling downtown I've ever experienced. More media and cyclists than workers. Lots of horse shit. This was around 11AM.

The only real Downtown weirdness I experienced was around 3:45 p.m. on Grant Street, where a cop told me in no uncertain terms to get ON the sidewalk. I wasn't the only one. Turns out, Pres. Obama's motorcade was on its way, and they were keeping the street clear.

Shortly thereafter, several streets were devoid of all traffic. Not a car, not a bike, not a pedestrian, not a horse to be seen. See photo on the G20 pics thread.

I biked in and out of Oakland today and it was even better than biking on a Sunday. I love it!

i went through all of downtown today (that i could), and was, as everyone, amazed at the abundance of bikes and lack of cars. it was beautiful. even the indian delegation was told to turn around and go a different way, when any number of cyclists were just waved through.

yeah, i wish downtown was car-free every day. but it looks like tomorrow could be a real car-free friday.

I was on a pedicab all day downtown and apart from a tame protest on Ethiopian dictators, saw nothing too interesting. Once or twice I had to get on the sidewalk to get where I was going but I had no real problems with any police. At one point, a Secret Service-looking guy told me I couldn't go down 6th Avenue from Grant Street (I think it was 6th). It definitely wasn't on the restricted zone, and I had ridden down it all day long. I cut through an alley and came out where I wanted to be half a block later. Nobody said anything. I rang my bell at most groups of police, and talked to some of them, and they were invariably friendly.

I had been entering downtown on 2nd Avenue (where the Boulevard of the Allies comes in) most of the day, but when I tried around 5:30 pm, a National Guard guy and a Chicago cop stopped me. I explained that I had been going in exactly there all day, but they were unconvinced. I finally asked if pedestrians were allowed--there were (non-police) pedestrians visible inside the traffic perimeter--and when they said yes, I hopped off the bike, walked it forward to the next block, and continued on my way.

One bike cop that I saw didn't have a light on his bike. If I see him tomorrow, I might mention that people have been getting citations for that lately, so he'd better watch out.

Coming home through Oakland around midnight, Forbes Avenue by McKee (at the gas station) had a ton of police in riot gear, and not the friendly kind. They were unnecessarily brusque with a dozen other spectators and me, including threatening us with dogs. Everybody seemed eager to do what they said, and of the bystanders with me, none was detained, though I think we were all a little shaken.

Wow, not quite "car free friday" but pretty close! I decided to skip the bike paths today - went down 5th, rode around downtown for a while, across smithfield and then carson to the circle (which is pure suicide on a normal day!) Unfortunately Steuben was as crappy as any other day but the first half of my commute was pretty amazing... aside from that whole "martial law" vibe, anyways.

Hey, are the Bike-PGH offices open this afternoon? I was trying to describe to a photojournalist how to get from downtown to the Strip around the exclusion zone and a map would have been helpful. I've also been listening to a police scanner and having a map to pinpoint the action would be useful for that as well. I forgot to grab a map on my way out the door this morning and thought I'd swing by the Bike-PGH offuices and pick one up.

I haven't seen the new commuter guide yet, either.