BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

« Back to Archive
85

Is PennDot obligated to have the sidewalk clear for pedestrians?

Currently on the Highland Park Bridge they have some stupid sign that has a base which takes up the whole sidewalk. Someone moved it (lol) a few times to make a path, but it has been moved to block people again. Yes, you can walk over it or maybe ride a mountain bike over the sandbags, but certainly a person in a wheelchair couldn't get by there and it is tough on my fixed because I can catch a pedal. Do they have any obligation to keep the sidewalk free of that crap? They could easily put the sign on one of the many poles, but PennDot is just lazy and they just do whatever is easy. Any advice to get that fixed or file a complaint, or is PennDot above all that and no one cares about sidewalks being clear? Don't know, but I do know 311 doesn't work with PennDot. Thanks for any thoughts.
gg
2013-11-29 18:33:33
Technically, yes they are required to maintain clear pedestrian access and continue to meet ADA access requirements even during construction. But, this doesn't seem to be a high priority for PennDOT. And, in their defense, I think there is something weird about the HP Bridge....like the City is responsible for maintenance or something. I need to look that up to be sure. In the meantime, report it to 1-800-Fix-Roads, and submit a 3-1-1 request that it be kept clear. You could add West Carson Street and the West End Bridge sidewalks to those requests as well, if you were feeling altruistic. Same construction related sidewalk obstructions in those locations. P.S. They prefer not to post the signs on the sign posts, because drivers keep hitting them where they overhang the roadway. Or so I have been led to believe.
swalfoort
2013-11-29 19:07:43
It is a real demonstration of PennDot's prioritization of cars over people. There are often ways to do it without blocking the entire sidewalk, they're just a bit more difficult or expensive. I wonder if a State Senator's office might hold some influence?
vannever
2013-11-29 19:44:58
@Vannevar, that's not a bad suggestion....if you know of someone who will listen.
swalfoort
2013-11-29 19:48:20
Thanks for the replies. PennDot does plow those roads. Of course they plow the snow onto the sidewalks. Yep, that is where the snow lands, so you have to walk a bike across the bridge. When they plow and it gets icy overtop, even the best mountain bike can't get over that. It is not passible. I want to complain about all of it, but sometimes I just feel it is a waste of time. We are talking about PennDot. They are beyond reach IMHO, but I will give it a go.
gg
2013-11-29 19:48:57
But it is a major river crossing in the City. The City might care a great deal. They might also be able to get a response from PennDOT. That's why I recommended that route first.
swalfoort
2013-11-29 19:56:49
Hey, what does the sign in question say, anyway? If it is related in some way to the 31st Street Bridge detour, it should be removed, anyway, as that work is complete.
swalfoort
2013-11-29 19:58:58
Swalfoort wrote:@Vannevar, that’s not a bad suggestion….if you know of someone who will listen.
well, I'm thinking that location is in one state legislator's district. So maybe call their local office and complain, why is PennDot obstructing my sidewalk? I'm just thinking, state legislator and state agency (PennDot), maybe that's a more effective chain-of-command relationship? But in order to do that, you'd probably have to have a legit residence in the legislator's district, b/c I'd imagine if you can't vote for/against them, they're less interested in constituent services. But if you've got somebody in a wheelchair who can't get through, I would think a reporter would like a story.
vannever
2013-11-29 20:30:22
Swalfoort wrote:Hey, what does the sign in question say, anyway?
I think it is a truck detour sign. It could easily be on one of the countless poles, but they are pretty darn lazy and I doubt anything would ever get done on this matter. I called 311 about the PennDot crew heaving some asphalt on the sidewalk, which is still there because they were too lazy to dispose of it properly and I was told to call PennDot. What gets me is, it really wouldn't be that big of a deal to put the sign up right, but they just don't care. I doubt I could pull off the handicap point of view since I am on a bike and am not a very good lier. There are other signs clipped to the Jersey Barrier or whatever you want to call the concrete wall between the road and the sidewalk. Wish they could have just done that with this ONE stupid sign. Then the sidewalk would actually be passible.
gg
2013-11-30 08:44:11
They had those kind of take-up-the-whole-sidewalk signs on the Homestead Grays bridge for a while too, so it's not a fluke They've basically just plopping down sign holders designed for shoulders (which is also annoying for cyclists) on sidewalks Although this would be contrary to my environmental leanings, it would be nice to just throw them over the bridge, or perhaps hang them from the bridge with something sturdy I've 311d something before and they sent it to PennDot themselves
sgtjonson
2013-11-30 16:27:35
They eventually fixed the sign on the Eliza Furnace chute. So it can be done.
jonawebb
2013-11-30 18:07:57
They are not supposed to block sidewalks with those detour signs. i've had them fixed or moved by calling PennDOT myself. What I've gathered from some contacts there is that they often have contractors put those signs up, who often just do the simplest thing. once you complain to penndot, i've found them fix them fairly fast. now when penndot will get the message to actually direct their contractors to do the right thing is yet to be determined.
erok
2013-12-02 11:04:21
Speaking of PennDOT, Whatever happened to that transportation funding bill a while ago? I called my reps and talked to people, but I still don't really feel heard or represented Is PennDOT actually doing anything for 21st century transportation? I don't want all my tax money going to maintain transportation systems designed in the 60s and used by car drivers
sgtjonson
2013-12-03 16:26:34
It passed, and included funding for biking and mass transit. From the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (I'm not sure why I'm on their list, I've only ridden there a couple of times): What will this bill do for biking and walking? A lot. As the Secretary told advocates Monday night, "This is the biggest step forward for the bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation in the history of Pennsylvania." The bill: Creates a multi-modal fund that grows from $30 to $144 million over a 5-year period, to which bicycle and pedestrian projects can apply for funding; Sets an annual minimum of $2 million of that fund to be spent on bicycle and pedestrian facilities; Makes it easier to use state transportation money for pedestrian safety projects, streetscaping & lighting; Explicitly states that Pennsylvania's comprehensive transportation system includes Pennsylvania's "numerous bicycle and pedestrian facilities," which will make it easier for bicycle/pedestrian projects to compete for highway funds.
jonawebb
2013-12-03 16:47:38
BTW, after some search I found the on-line form to complain to PennDOT. It is here. And I think it only works with Internet Explorer.
jonawebb
2013-12-04 08:12:42
in PennDOT's defense, it says it "best used" with internet explorer. Not sure if that makes it better or not. also, i never thought i'd type the words "in PennDOT's defense."
erok
2013-12-04 09:24:21
I tried it with Chrome and the submit button didn't work. But web development is amazingly more difficult than it should be. You have to test with each individual browser to see how it does. It's really remarkable.
jonawebb
2013-12-04 09:33:46
multiply by the various browser versions as well. Plus potential plug-ins.
andyc
2013-12-04 14:24:00
Creates a multi-modal fund that grows from $30 to $144 million over a 5-year period, to which bicycle and pedestrian projects can apply for funding; Sets an annual minimum of $2 million of that fund to be spent on bicycle and pedestrian facilities; So, maybe ~6% decreasing to ~1.5% of the pot dedicated to bikes and peds? That sucks. What multi/inter-modal probably means is huge parking ramps at the terminii of subway lines (like in DC). Not a bad thing, but not much to do with bikes. (Oh wait. Pittsburgh doesn't even have a subway to speak of. Waste of taxpayer money, I keep being told.) So, I guess we get pretty much nothing... --> make sure you vote next year, and not for the incompetent Corbett, or his clown party.
ahlir
2013-12-04 19:08:22
(I apologize for contributing to the jacking of this thread......) I suspect the best value for the multimodal fund will be in attacking problems that don't fall neatly within a single mode. The example I tend to use is the need to raise the elevation of the bridges in West Park/Allegheny Commons over the railroad tracks. The bridges are in poor condition. They need major rehab/replacement. That's what instigated this whole "need." The bridges cross a set of railroad tracks. A while back, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) set new national standards that say that a new bridge over active railroad tracks must permit a minimum vertical clearance of 22 (or 23?) feet from the top of the track to the lowest vertical obstruction. This permits the railroads (and interstate commerce) to function most efficiently. The old bridges in West Park do not provide the now required vertical clearance. So the design/aesthetic of two historic bridges will have to be altered to provide the required clearance. The approachs to the bridge will be longer, and perhaps steeper, and the bridges will rise higher above the surrounding park. An alternative proposal COULD be to LOWER the elevation of the railroad tracks, permitting the bridges to remain at their current elevation vis a vis the local roadways. But, that would not be inexpensive. And why would the railroad want to spend money to "solve" a problem that they are neither responsible for, nor requested (although they are the primary beneficiaries)? The multimodal fund, as I understand it, could conceivably be used to "fix" a highway problem by investing in a railroad solution. it would probably not be cost effective for a single bridge, but with two bridges in very close proximity to one another, who knows....maybe it is cost effective to lower a mile of railroad rather than redesign the approaches to two historic bridges in a park setting. As a side note, I understand that there are other reasons (high water table among them) that may make this an unreasonable solution for the West Park Bridges used in the illustration above. It was simply an illustration based on a locally recognizable scenario. And yes, it could be used to provide "intermodal access" at transit nodes. Even if that other mode is cars, and the access feature is a parking lot.
swalfoort
2013-12-05 09:49:06
The example Swalfoort is similar to other changes we've been seeing around town. For example the rebuilding of the tunnel arch next to the Southside Works and the Jail Trail bridge at Bates. Both were done in preparation for new train and truck height standards. Basically, containers are getting larger and if you want freight routed through certain regions the infrastructure needs to be up to spec. I was not trying to disparage the intermodal fund; it's a great idea. My only gripe is that only $2M per year is all that will go to both bikes and peds. To put the $2M into perspective: the Mon Wharf Switchback budget is/was $3M. Yes, that's 50% more that the entire annual allocation for all bike and ped projects, for the entire Commonwealth.
ahlir
2013-12-05 15:55:24
BTW, did PennDOT move the detour sign on the sidewalk on West Carson street near the West End bridge? I complained about it a couple weeks ago and they said that the issue had been resolved, or was going to be.
jonawebb
2013-12-11 09:09:41
As of last week it was still in the way. You can get around it on the sidewalk, but there is very little margin for error. I've complained multiple times, and I can only think they consider it to be good enough.
pinky
2013-12-11 10:55:46
Sounds like it could be a job for the Urban Repair Squad. Isn't it just a half dozen sandbags and a 50-pound sign on a stand? Or do they legitimately have to send out four guys and a truck?
stuinmccandless
2013-12-11 11:08:58
Stu, you're right - it's sandbags and a sign on a stand. But the sidewalk isn't wide enough for that stand, so there's nowhere to move the sign because of the way the sidewalk butts up against the fence by the Duquesne Incline and that ugly ass office building. I've posted this fancy gif before, but this will give you an idea of how they look (and there are I think 4 signs that are arranged like this).
pinky
2013-12-11 12:51:32
Somebody should eminent domain that MF'ing buncher building, 1600 W. Carson, and build a river park and connecting trail to the West End Circle. If the MF'ers could ED and demolish an historic church to widen 28, this seems like an excellent course of action for this POS. My undies officially get in a bunch whenever I think about this stupid 1,000 foot section of roadway that these latter day Robert Moses' are too stupid to figure out.
edmonds59
2013-12-11 13:20:45
@edmonds, agree. What we really need is a Robert Moses, on our side this time. He would have that warehouse and parking lot ED'd, torn down, and rebuilt as a park with bike trails in one year.
jonawebb
2013-12-11 13:58:59
Hmm. A couple of blocks to take up the height differential to the parking lot. A saw to cut the horizontal strips. Some duct tape to put the strips back together. Several strong arms to lift the sign over the fence. A few minutes to reposition the sign on the blocks and move the sandbags to secure it. Maybe even some wire to secure the sign to the fence, in so doing making it more stable than it is now. Yeah, that sign could straddle the fence and still get the job done, and give us three more feet of sidewalk.
stuinmccandless
2013-12-11 16:24:26
The parking lot is like 8 feet lower than the sidewalk for the most part, though. Besides, Buncher would bitch that it's on their property.
edmonds59
2013-12-11 18:00:50
Since PAdot thinks it's ok to block the sidewalk, I think it should also be ok to block that right travel lane there too. I wounder how often you would have to call to get that thing removed from the lane?
marko82
2013-12-11 18:20:35
Marko82 wrote:Since PAdot thinks it’s ok to block the sidewalk, I think it should also be ok to block that right travel lane there too. I wounder how often you would have to call to get that thing removed from the lane?
Guessing one call and about 20 minutes. You could probably grab the whole thing as a youtube video with a little discussion of PennDOT vs. any non motor vehicle interest as filler. Talk about the problem, maybe talk to a couple pedestrians and then... exhibit A. If you're feeling ambitious repeat the out of the bike lane ticket video antics once the problem is "fixed". Only trouble is arrest potential. Ah well.
byogman
2013-12-11 21:44:46
Item the first: If I parked my motorcycle on the sidewalk there for two days (which is narrower than the sign), I would be ticketed and towed, without question. Item the second: Eight feet down, eh? Skip the blocks, then. Just hang it over the fence and wire it up good and tight. What's Buncher going to claim? Air rights?
stuinmccandless
2013-12-11 22:15:46
Don't trucks back up to the loading docks in that area? A sign hanging over the fence could get hit. You don't think PennDOT is going to risk damaging an expensive sign, merely for the safety of people who aren't even in cars?
steven
2013-12-12 00:23:22
There was a sign there when I used to ride to work that way... in 2009. Has it really been there 4+ years or did it go away and return? You can't even safely walk around it much less ride, and there's a bus stop there too.
salty
2013-12-12 01:00:14
@Steven, you're right. To the toolbox, add a hacksaw to remove the building-facing parts of the sign that hang over the edge. Problem solved.
stuinmccandless
2013-12-12 09:38:35
Alternately, since PennDOT isn't responding, go to your state government representative for help. They have people on staff to deal with situations where state agencies aren't responding to their constituent's requests.
jonawebb
2013-12-12 09:49:30
There is still a huge section of the fence missing in that stretch where a truck "lost control", went over the sidewalk, and onto a parked car. Imagine being a pedestrian. If you're not inside a motorized vehicle, PennDot doesn't give a fuck about you.
edmonds59
2013-12-12 10:47:34
If you’re not inside a motorized vehicle anybody, PennDot doesn’t give a fuck about you. Fixed that for ya edmonds.
marko82
2013-12-12 11:08:59
Ha! That too.
edmonds59
2013-12-12 11:18:27
@salty - the sign went away and came back for the new project. I don't take this route often anymore, so it's fallen lower on my list of "things I feel like fighting with." But yeah, I need to get writing to my reps. They tend to be pretty responsive.
pinky
2013-12-14 07:52:22
BTW, I drove past this Saturday, and I think it's fixed -- right? It looked to me that the base of the sign was now a single pole with sandbags around it, blocking the sidewalk a lot less than it used to.
jonawebb
2014-01-08 13:34:10
I wonder if you could find any motorists that would shrug and say the same about a partial roadway obstruction. Just sayin', we have LOW standards. Maybe that's the only way to bike and be sane. Or maybe that's something that needs to change. Or maybe (ok most likely) both, but with narrow exceptions the time for the change is in the future, with more people are on bikes.
byogman
2014-01-08 14:19:39
FWIW, part of West Carson has a substandard lane width during construction, so buses don't fit on it, and I assume it requires slightly more care from car drivers. (But do drivers shrug, or bitch about it?)
steven
2014-01-09 00:16:18
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Chris Christie's entire Presidential ambitions are being upended because he (or his staff) closed two lanes of the entrance to the George Washington bridge for four days.
jonawebb
2014-01-09 08:31:46
Steven wrote:FWIW, part of West Carson has a substandard lane width during construction, so buses don’t fit on it, and I assume it requires slightly more care from car drivers. (But do drivers shrug, or bitch about it?)
This is the sort of thing where those bus drivers earn my respect, esp the articulated drivers. I come through there on the G2 and there is about 12 inches max to the concrete barriers on either side!!! Most car drivers couldn't identify where the corners of their vehicles are within 12 inches to save their lives (literally).
edmonds59
2014-01-09 09:21:13
edmonds59 wrote:This is the sort of thing where those bus drivers earn my respect, esp the articulated drivers. I come through there on the G2 and there is about 12 inches max to the concrete barriers on either side!!! Most car drivers couldn’t identify where the corners of their vehicles are within 12 inches to save their lives (literally).
unfortunately, that also gives them the confidence to pass those of us on bicycles with a foot or two to spare. which is terrifying.
hiddenvariable
2014-01-09 09:45:20
True.
edmonds59
2014-01-09 09:59:37
Fear not! While doding potholes, etc.. you simply must never move more laterally than one foot (and have skillz to recover from the draft from the passing bus so you don't get blown into a parked car).
byogman
2014-01-09 10:02:20
Take that lane!
jonawebb
2014-01-09 10:41:18
jonawebb wrote:BTW, I drove past this Saturday, and I think it’s fixed — right? It looked to me that the base of the sign was now a single pole with sandbags around it, blocking the sidewalk a lot less than it used to.
No it's not fixed. The base is huge and takes the whole sidewalk. I believe the city took over that construction project after the bridge and they did a VERY good job. They even have a button to press to make the signal change to cross the street. It is PennDot that could care less about anyone trying to cross the Highland Park Bridge.
gg
2014-01-09 10:54:32
Bus drivers move over as much as is convenient to them, not necessarily into the next lane. Even if you take the lane. In that regard they're worse than most motorists who do respect taking the lane. That said, I generally take it anyway, as then I at least get more space to the right to bail toward. The worst behavior, the closest passes tend to be right before bus stops. Obviously they have to be in the right lane, but it's ironic since the amount of time they'd have to spend spent rolling along more slowly to hang back safely is so short in these cases.
byogman
2014-01-09 11:02:37
gg wrote:It is PennDot that could care less about anyone trying to cross the Highland Park Bridge.
Confused -- are we talking about the same place? I was referring to the detour sign on West Carson, near the West End Bridge.
jonawebb
2014-01-09 11:10:48
jonawebb wrote:Take that lane!
i do, when it's suitable. but this most often happens when i'm heading down liberty in (near) the "bike lane". i ride either at the very left edge of the lane or in the auto lane, and i've been beeped at by at least one bus, and buzzed by untold millions (i exaggerate) of them. i sure do hate that bike lane. luckily, traffic is generally sparse, and my speed is good, so it doesn't always present a problem. but it's hard to blame confused drivers, sitting there thinking "there's a bike lane right there! why aren't you in it?"
hiddenvariable
2014-01-09 16:43:34
jonawebb wrote:Confused — are we talking about the same place? I was referring to the detour sign on West Carson, near the West End Bridge.
Oh, I just assumed we were talking about the Highland Park Bridge, since it is what the OP started this thread about.
gg
2014-01-09 19:37:39
I do take that lane on W Carson. It is unsafe and drivers don't like it very much, but that sign and the overall condition of that sidewalk is terrible. It was mentioned that the sign was there in 2009. I believe it was there in 2006 also. Perhaps not all during that time period, but it seems to be there quite a bit of the time. I'm concerned about what I was told that only sharrows will exist all the way out to McKees Rocks, when the construction is complete. Is this really considered to be safe and viable for bicyclists on that road? Why was this the solution, especially when there are sidewalks along the southbound side that are in deplorable condition?
fultonco
2014-01-25 13:55:51
As I was driving home today crossing the Highland Park Bridge, the moron from PennDot had his plow down going really close to the edge to throw the snow up on the sidewalk. That is were we are in the pecking order. Really nonexistent. Now there will be car parts, glass, nails, refrigerator parts, some utensils and who knows what else on the sidewalk. I clean it usually each Spring, but I am getting tired of doing it. I didn't do it this past year. Sure is a drag. That sidewalk will be a mess for a long time now. Probably have to walk my bike across it.
gg
2014-01-25 16:47:10
"I’m concerned about what I was told that only sharrows will exist all the way out to McKees Rocks, when the construction is complete." Ding ding ding! Correct!! "Is this really considered to be safe and viable for bicyclists on that road?" No!! Penndot doesn't give a rat's ass about bicyclists on that road! You are at best a joke that they hope will pass sooner rather than later. Or die. Either way. "Why was this the solution, especially when there are sidewalks along the southbound side that are in deplorable condition?" Because, Penndot, duh. Here's how this works: Penndot is required by law to produce engineering "studies" before they put any road projects out for construction. An outside engineering firm gets a juicy contract for said study, to meet the letter of the law. During the course of the study, Penndot gently implies the end result of the study that they would like to see OR they bury the study under an Augean stable of bureaucratic reviews and re-reviews OR the engineering firm in question somehow doesn't ever get any future juicy contracts. Clear?
edmonds59
2014-01-25 16:50:01
I have a fat bike for the HP bridge sidewalk, but it can't magically pass through that truck detour sign they stuck right in the middle of the sidewalk. Thanks, penndot.
stefb
2014-01-25 18:39:18
PennDot's process, as explained, is woefully lacking. That needs to change. That West Carson project is going to be poor result. With the proper plan, it could have been a truly multi-modal route from Pittsburgh to the western suburbs and the Montour Trail/GAP Trail system. Instead, we will have business as usual with no safe ways to travel and continued gridlock. Stu had mentioned that critical mass in this town is dying. These kinds of situations call for resuscitating that movement. A decent sized group of cyclists at rush hour would get some attention. As would a group going out to shovel off the bridge. There is a fellow who rides south on West Liberty Avenue almost every day during the afternoon rush hour. He is getting no help from anybody, but people do change lanes, relatively orderly, to get around him. I was told that sharrows could not be placed in that right lane because people park there after rush hour. Is there a prohibition against sharrows in a parking lane or alternatively, can one not park in an area where there are sharrows? It would seem to me that when there are parked vehicles, a bicyclist could go around them. The value of sharrows and share the road signage would open up that corridor for other than gasoline powered vehicular traffic. This is another area where there are sidewalks that are never heavily used. Could such an area be planned to eliminate the sidewalks and create bicycle/pedestrian lanes? Doing this would create a bicycle/pedestrian artery to 51. Then doing the same along 51 to the Wabash Tunnel would pave the way for a truly viable route from South Hills to Pittsburgh. Finally, on a previous post, I had mentioned a study done by Penn Futures that recommended multi-modal transportation corridors instead of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. My post didn't receive very much attention, but I believe this study has tremendous value and should be re-visited. It addresses a number of the kinds of transportation issues that are discussed in this forum and solves a number of problems. It is the way we should start doing business around here.
fultonco
2014-01-26 09:41:43
stefb wrote:I have a fat bike for the HP bridge sidewalk, but it can’t magically pass through that truck detour sign they stuck right in the middle of the sidewalk. Thanks, penndot.
Maybe someone needs to heave it into the river. F that sign!
gg
2014-01-26 20:54:48
@fultonco - I would be happy to share with you, in great detail, the many, many efforts of the bicycling community to alter the outcome of the West Carson Street design. The issue here was not the quality or the quantity of the input from the cycling community. PM me to set up a time to chat.
swalfoort
2014-01-27 10:52:53
One guess on east carson st, is that they did the design, then showed it off and asked for comments, and then when comments came in contrary to their design, they just said that we can't change it, since it's already designed.
benzo
2014-01-27 11:41:50
They are required to have public hearings and ask for comments. They are not required to do anything about them. The same thing happened with the Blvd. of the Allies redesign, which was a golden opportunity to create a bike-friendly route between West Oakland and Downtown -- people raised the issue, but PennDOT did not listen. We really need someone at PennDOT who cares about non-motorists. This would be a good issue to raise with the Democratic candidates for Governor, since one of them will be taking office next year.
jonawebb
2014-01-27 12:19:24
jonawebb wrote:This would be a good issue to raise with the Democratic candidates for Governor, since one of them will be taking office next year.
I like this idea. I wonder if BikePGH has sent out a version of their mayoral/city council questionaire to the current candidates?
rgrasmus
2014-01-27 15:23:53
My official rant on the West Carson project. And the official response: RE: Allegheny County S.R. 0051, Section A63 West Carson Viaduct Project Dear Mr. Strickland: Thank you for your email of May 30, 2013, regarding the S.R. 51, West Carson Viaduct project. The District understands your concerns and has designed substantial improvements into the project to address them. This project was initiated to rehabilitate the structurally deficient West Carson Street Viaduct that carries a portion of the northbound travel lanes. Currently, the poor condition of that structure has caused the Department to restrict traffic in the northbound direction. In addition the sidewalk has been closed for years due to its deteriorated state. As the project advanced through the design stages, we saw an opportunity to enhance the pedestrian facilities, as well as bicyclist accommodations throughout the corridor. By means of a "Road Diet", reducing the number of through lanes to just one in each direction, we were able to develop a "Complete Streets" project that not only accommodates all modes of travel, but does so safely. Through this reallocation of space, we are able to incorporate a 5 foot sidewalk through the length of the corridor, include a 10 foot wide turn lane for motorists making left turns into side streets and driveways and also obtain the additional width required for a 14 foot wide shared use lane in both directions to accommodate both vehicular and cyclist traffic. Reviewing the latest five-year crash data revealed a significant number of vehicle crashes through this corridor. These crashes were predominantly rear-end, angle and head-on sideswipe accidents. After reviewing that data, it was determined the only practical way to mitigate those accidents was to include a center turn lane from the Port Authority Busway to Stanhope Street. The inclusion of the center turn lane will mitigate these accidents by providing a buffer for turning traffic. Also, when reviewing the crash data, there fortunately was no record of any bicycle or pedestrian accidents throughout this corridor. Nonetheless, we believe it is imperative to enhance safety for these modes also. The mitigation of the vehicular accidents will improve safety of the corridor for everyone. We will construct a new 5?foot concrete sidewalk the entire length of the project for pedestrian use. We plan to provide bike sharrows and "Share the Road" signs to alert the motorists of bicyclists. In addition, highway lighting will be constructed along the entire length of the project which will improve nighttime visibility of the pedestrians and bicyclists. Additionally, yesterday we met with various stakeholders and elected officials and reviewed all details of this project -- it is already bid and going to construction in about 6 weeks. We agreed to investigate the addition of electronic speed devices and possibly enhanced crosswalks at intersections to improve visibility for pedestrians and cyclists. We appreciate your interest in the transportation system and your specific concerns on this project. Our main objective is to create safe and accessible highways for all modes of transportation, within budget, and we believe this project best meets those requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Guy Rettura, P.E., Project Manager at (412) 429-3787 or Cheryl Moon-Sirianni, P.E., Assistant District Executive, Design Division, at (412) 429?5005. Sincerely yours, PENNDOT District 11 H. Daniel Cessna, P.E. District Executive
stuinmccandless
2014-01-27 22:03:25
The highland park bridge sidewalk was atrocious. Too bad the penndot concern form or whatever it is called doesn't work on my phone.
stefb
2014-01-28 05:46:44
stefb wrote:The highland park bridge sidewalk was atrocious. Too bad the penndot concern form or whatever it is called doesn’t work on my phone.
It doesn't work on my Mac either. They probably do that for a reason. F'n a-holes!
gg
2014-01-28 18:46:55
If you tell me where the sign is I'll fill out the form. Maybe mark it on Google Maps and send me a link.
jonawebb
2014-01-28 20:14:34
jonawebb wrote:If you tell me where the sign is I’ll fill out the form. Maybe mark it on Google Maps and send me a link.
It is on the Highland Park Bridge sidewalk. There is only one sign on the whole sidewalk. As soon as you exit the bridge you are in the city of Pittsburgh, where the city provided an unobstructed walkway AND a crosswalk with a button to cross the street. The contrast between the city and PennDot is amazing. They just plop a sign right in the middle of the sidewalk. What if a handicap person wanted to cross that bridge? They CAN'T. All because of ONE sign! ONE! There are countless poles to put the sign on and they have other signs clipped to the barrier. WHY did they have to put that ONE sign there? Anyway, that would be great if you could fill it out. You need Windows I guess. I would expect nothing less from PennDot. Thanks for any help.
gg
2014-01-28 20:37:35
FWIW, PennDOT worked on the McKees Rocks Bridge in 2009, but has yet to pick up the "Sidewalk Closed" signs from the Rt65 end.
stuinmccandless
2014-01-29 14:34:25
StuInMcCandless wrote:FWIW, PennDOT worked on the McKees Rocks Bridge in 2009, but has yet to pick up the “Sidewalk Closed” signs from the Rt65 end.
They have had signs on the Highland Park Bridge sidewalk in the past. They used to remove the signs and leave the base so they could just put the sign back in the base. I kid you not! The bases have been removed as well as the sandbags by someone a while back. I wouldn't mind clipping the signs to one of the many poles and make the sidewalk passable, but I suspect I might get in a bit of trouble for doing their job correctly. I really can't stand PennDot due to how horrible they are to pedestrians and cyclists in general. The city did a really nice job in front of One Wild Place. I am impressed with what they did there. Good job Pittsburgh! I wish Penn Dot would be as considerate to their neighbors. Maybe they will change. ha, ha, ha
gg
2014-01-29 14:45:05
"Joy Ride" by Mia Burk, Cascade Press.
fultonco
2014-02-06 18:09:24
Her name is Mia Birk (not Burk). The book is a great read for anyone who wants to change the status quo. So is what she accomplished in Portland; I've seen it firsthand.
screbner
2014-02-07 20:13:49
The sign is now moved from the Highland Park Bridge sidewalk. Thank you for whoever contacted them. Also someone or some group shoveled the area past the Highland Park Bridge going towards the Zoo. That looked like a lot of work whoever or whatever did that. I wish they could have continued across the bridge, but I have no idea how it got cleared. I wish I could shovel the bridge, but I just can't do that whole thing. It is just too big. Sadly it is going to be an icy mess for a very long time. I hate riding on the road across there. I just walked my bike both ways today.
gg
2014-02-07 20:38:59
gg wrote:The sign is now moved from the Highland Park Bridge sidewalk. Thank you for whoever contacted them.
You're welcome -- I just got the notice from PennDOT that they'd closed the complaint. So, that worked.
jonawebb
2014-02-10 09:39:45
I drove across the McKees Rocks Bridge on Saturday. Sidewalks have not been touched, AFAICT.
stuinmccandless
2014-02-10 15:37:38
Someone was killed in DC last week when he was hit by a car walking over the JP Sousa Bridge because the sidewalks were impassible due to snow. (Via DCist, others)
.@PennDOTNews How long until s/o gets killed because you refuse to plow sidewalks on Highland Park, other bridges? http://t.co/PiKGCB8xpdmoi
epanastrophe
2014-02-19 18:31:31
There is another sign blocking the sidewalk on the Highland Park Bridge. It is for the Hulton Bridge closing, which is from this Friday-Sunday. I guess I can live with it if they take it down on Monday, but they probably won't. I use a Mac, so I don't think I can suggest removal of the sign base to the barrier like all the other signs. Such a pain. Thanks if anyone can file a complaint with PennDot.
gg
2014-09-17 11:11:59
Fixed. I got parallels now, so I can do this myself.
gg
2014-09-24 11:39:51