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Local News Stories and LTE 2019.

Not quite an LTE and not quite local (we know we can bike there in 24 hours, right?) but another bonehead trying to look smart. https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2018/12/27/bicyclists-dont-have-all-answers-traffic-safety-i-should-know-i-was-hit-by-one/?noredirect=on&utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.8b3119403a9b
mikhail
2019-01-02 22:52:03
I responded to the Trib article. This concerns me, as I own property in Hempfield, I ride a bike for transportation, and ride in accordance with PA traffic law. If you encounter me on the road, I fear you will think I am this other guy, and wish to do me harm. Can we be clear what 75-3301c1 means? Yes, a cyclist may occupy the full lane on a two-lane road. Even if we are in the right-most inch of the lane, you still have to cross halfway into the oncoming lane to pass us, so our position within the lane makes no difference. Just change lanes and pass. Yes, you may legally cross a yelow line to pass a cyclist if visibly safe to do so, same as driving around a downed tree. On a 4-lane road, the cyclist uses the entire right lane; you pass in the left lane. Got it?
stuinmccandless
2019-01-04 20:08:19
Will these buses appear on the 75 by any chance?
zzwergel
2019-01-17 18:30:31
I added a long comment: Let's name some potential bike routes, infrastructure that now does not exist which, if it did, could get people around the city a lot easier and safer. 1) A direct connection between the Pocusset Trail and the top of dead-end Saline St would open the entire East End to the Jail Trail. 2) A direct connection between the Duck Hollow Trail and the new streets about to be opened in Hazelwood Green, would enable non-motorized travel to and from that new billion dollar investment. 3) The existing corner of Saline-Greenfield-Second-Irvine barely handles current bike traffic, let alone any increase from the above two ideas. My solution is a suspended ring walkway 100 feet across, taking all bike traffic out of car and railroad contention. 4) A bike incline, essentially a tiny version of a ski lift, installed next to the Joncaire St steps, that would help cyclists traverse the 100-foot climb from Junction Hollow up into Oakland. Maybe several of these (Troy Hill, Bigelow St in Greenfield, Chislett off of Butler, among others). 5) A "marsupial bridge" underneath the Glenwood Bridge, connecting the trails on either side of the Mon. 6) A bike bridge across the railroad tracks at Becks Run Road, would help open up the Carrick-Baldwin area to the river trails. 7) Legal bike access of the Wabash Tunnel, the only level way from one side of Mt Washington to the other that isn't jammed full of cars. 8) A bike path from River Avenue in McKees Rocks to Transport Street in Overbrook, so anyone south of the Mt Washington can get downtown on a bike. None of the above infringes on anyone's parking, anyone's speed limits, anyone's private property rights, and mostly removes car-bike contention, while improving bike access all over the city. And cost? I'd wager that except for the suspended ring, all of that would cost less than rebuilding one suburban intersection.
stuinmccandless
2019-01-30 22:08:26
McKees Rocks to Overbrook. How would you do that? The new Joncaire St. steps already have runnels. Starting new post about public steps.
zzwergel
2019-02-01 16:30:11
@eric my guess for the SEA grant would be a piece of the new Crosstown Blvd Cap project.
nmr
2019-02-04 07:57:05
Z, my long-term vision is for a bike trail along the tracks from River Ave in McKees Rocks, then up onto a currently non-existent bike lane on the river side of West Carson. PennDOT tore down a perfectly good bridge over West Carson that carried the abandoned railroad line that runs above 51 all the way down to just short of West Liberty Avenue. If that rail bed and associated torn down viaducts were to be rebuilt, that would provide a bikeway from McKees Rocks to Wabash Tunnel, and almost down to West Liberty Ave. Getting upstream along there, out to Transport Street in Overbrook, will take an act of the almighty to make happen. In essence, you're somehow getting across West Liberty, then squeezing between the South Busway, Rt 51, the active railroad, and the creek. There's space, but it won't be easy. While I'm dreaming, put a roof over the whole thing, too. Sure, why not, an enclosed tube, protecting cyclists from the weather for that journey. But I'm waaaay off topic for local news stories. Let's take this to another thread.
stuinmccandless
2019-02-04 19:32:55
Right now! FREE FOOD! beer! Until 6pm today. Friends of the Riverfront mixer. In their old office. 33 Terminal Way, Southside.
paulheckbert
2019-02-13 16:53:53
produce terminal construction in the strip to start within a month. https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2019/02/13/Start-of-produce-terminal-redevelopment-imminent-McCaffery-URA-Society-Craft-Smallman/stories/201902130129 For those without access to the P-G (I may or may not be visiting the site via a VPN from Toronto because crazy John Block doesn't deserve any of my money...): Finally. The long-awaited redevelopment of the iconic produce terminal in the Strip District is about to clear its final hurdle. Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board members are expected to decide Thursday whether to give Chicago-based McCaffery Interests the go ahead to start construction on its proposed $49.5 million makeover of the Strip landmark. With the approval, McCaffery hopes to start construction within “a couple of weeks to a month maximum,” CEO Dan McCaffery said Wednesday. Mark Belko Produce terminal redevelopment finally ripe to start in the Strip District “The word I would use is imminent,” he said. Thursday’s authorization would be the culmination of McCaffery’s nearly five-year odyssey to gain control of the URA-owned 1,533-foot warehouse that takes up five blocks of Smallman Street. The URA board vote will come as part of a deal that McCaffery has reached with the Society for Contemporary Craft, now known as Contemporary Craft, to move out of its longtime space in the east end of the terminal. McCaffery is contributing $1.3 million to the relocation of the group, which will announce the site of its new home Thursday. The $1.3 million will come in the form of four payments, according to a report accompanying the URA agenda. As part of Thursday’s board vote to authorize construction, the URA would front up to $1 million to Contemporary Craft for the relocation. It would be reimbursed by McCaffery. McCaffery also will pay $2.5 million to the URA to lease the building for 99 years. Although the URA will continue to own the Strip landmark, the developer will pay real estate taxes on it because of the length of the lease. The property currently is tax exempt. The proposed terminal redevelopment includes a “food-centric” locally owned market featuring a chef incubator kitchen, grab-to-go foods, and coffee and cocktail bars. Elizabeth Behrman/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh school board approves tax diversion plan for Strip District's produce terminal project McCaffery also has agreed to lease at least 40,000 square feet within the complex to local or regional businesses focused on artisan food, crafts, produce, meats and creative arts. There also are plans for offices, restaurants, brew pubs, fitness space and perhaps even “urban-size” drug and hardware stores to cater to the growing residential population in the Strip. In addition, the rehab includes plans for pedestrian passageways to be built through the terminal at 17th, 18th and 20th streets. McCaffery intends to widen the dock facing Smallman to provide for outdoor dining and strolling. There will be 274 spaces of surface parking available on the river side of the terminal. The developer already has some letters of intent with prospective tenants, although Mr. McCaffery declined to name them Wednesday. Rehabbing the terminal will take a lot of work, he said. McCaffery will have to install heating, cooling, water and sewage systems and undertake other restoration and remediation tasks. “This building has been summarily ignored for decades. Even steel can rot,” he said. “It’s a big job.” Mr. McCaffery anticipates a 14- to 16-month construction period. It has hired P.J. Dick as its general contractor. Along with the produce terminal, McCaffery is planning to redevelop the 1600 Smallman property across the street into office and retail, with a 179-space parking structure to be built next to it. The developer has an option to buy that real estate. It expects to finalize the purchase of that property and close on the terminal at about the same time. Taking place in conjunction with the two redevelopments, expected to cost $100 million combined, are roughly $24 million in upgrades to Smallman between 16th and 21st streets to improve pedestrian access, safety, and circulation. McCaffery became involved in the terminal after Mayor Bill Peduto objected to a plan pitched by the Buncher Co., which at one time held the development rights to the property, to demolish the western third of the structure as part of a proposed makeover. “We’re just excited to get where we are and looking forward to finishing it up for us and for everyone. It’s all going to be good,” Mr. McCaffery said. Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.
edronline
2019-02-13 20:29:01
Pittsburgh to require ‘clean construction’ on Duck Hollow bridge project https://triblive.com/news/pittsburgh-allegheny/pittsburgh-will-require-clean-construction-for-first-time-on-duck-hollow-bridge-project/ Ricks said the old bridge would remain open during construction. The city will maintain it in the future as a “recreational bridge” open only for pedestrians and bicyclists, she said. “It becomes a non-motorized opportunity that connects to the spectacular waterfronts and the trail network that we have there,” she said.
marko82
2019-02-22 12:01:50
From the zone 4 police station on Facebook:
It's been over five months since we started asking Zone 4 residents to contact us about their stolen bicycles. If you live in the Zone and have had a bicycle stolen and you have not contacted us, please message our page ASAP with the color, brand, model, and any other identifying characteristics (accessories, damage, etc). We're getting ready to donate the bikes that remain here in safekeeping at the station.
Zone 4 is Squirrel Hill, Oakland, etc. http://pittsburghpa.gov/police/police-zone-maps
jonawebb
2019-02-23 11:38:31
For years, the sidewalks along the 40th St. Bridge went unmaintained, so a bike courier decided to take on the responsibility herself https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/for-years-the-sidewalks-along-the-40th-st-bridge-went-unmaintained-so-a-lawrenceville-bike-courier-decided-to-take-on-the-responsibility-he/Content?oid=13848033 Tim McNulty, communications director for the city of Pittsburgh, emailed Pittsburgh City Paper that "there were rounds and rounds of talks on which government agency should be responsible for the sidewalks (among PennDOT, Pittsburgh and Millvale) and rather than dealing with endless red tape, the city's Department of Public Works finally decided to just take the job over." McNulty says Pittsburgh DPW plans to handle the bridge's sidewalk maintenance going forward. 
marko82
2019-02-28 17:28:29
So all of this craziness over one bridge. Will they figure out all the other bridges while we're at it, or do we need to wait 10 years between bridges... :(
edronline
2019-02-28 18:49:22
That 40th Street Bridge story is awesome.  So glad that someone in the city finally decided to take it over. It's funny how the article says "due to its unique location linking Pittsburgh to Millvale", as if a bridge from one municipality to another is unusual.  The 62nd Street Bridge right up the street links Pittsburgh to Etna.  Then the Highland Park Bridge links Pittsburgh to Sharpsburg/Aspinwall.  Those are only examples within about 3 miles of the 40th Street Bridge.  This happens practically anywhere there is a river.
alleghenian
2019-03-02 14:22:25
Highland Park bridge actually links Pittsburgh to ohara. There's a little tiny stub of ohara there, cut off from the rest of the township. Go figure. Ohara is actually 4 discrete pieces of land. Used to be just one before fox chapel left, plus the stub by the highland Park bridge, I guess, so the township had some rights to the riverfront.(although they have a lot of riverfront land further down between waterworks and blawnox)
edronline
2019-03-02 15:35:41
Here’s another recent story on Dani’s ongoing project. https://justseeds.org/diydpw-54/ She has an account on this message board, too, though I haven’t seen her on here in a while.
stuinmccandless
2019-03-02 22:24:39
^^^ just donated. Please donate if you haven't. DPW just agreed to clear snow. Not regular upkeep. Plus Dani deserves $$$ for all the hours she has worked, for free. https://www.gofundme.com/pay-the-bridge-troll
edronline
2019-03-03 09:47:22
I added this comment on the road cleanup story Speaking from experience, only the first pass at cleanup on a newly adopted road takes any real effort. The first time through, you will have years of accumulation of trash, car parts and other debris. After that, though, picking up only six to 12 months of litter goes much faster.
stuinmccandless
2019-03-10 05:14:51
Ohiopyle business owners angry about way construction being done. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2019/03/14/First-phase-of-Ohiopyle-construction-on-schedule-set-to-be-completed-by-Memorial-Day-weekend/stories/201903140168   text below-- OHIOPYLE -- Restaurant owner Pam Kruse’s instructions to PennDOT and its contractor concerning the ongoing construction project in this compact Fayette County town were direct and to the point: “Get it done, clean up after yourselves and get out,” said the owner of the year-round Falls Market and Restaurant. “We have company coming.” Lots of company. The small town (52 acres, population 59) and the 20,000-acre state park that surrounds it welcome upwards of 1.5 million visitors a year. And that company arrives as early as mid-March and continues through late October. Memorial Day through Labor Day are the busiest days. Barring any more “unforeseen and unanticipated” delays, PennDOT project manager Bill Beaumariage said, the first phase of the $12.4 million project “to improve safety and traffic flow” will be completed - and all the related equipment and supplies will be out of the way — by May 23 in time for the Memorial Day weekend. The work includes a pedestrian tunnel beneath Route 381; the rehabilitation, including 10-foot wide sidewalks, of the two-lane concrete bridge that carries traffic over the Youghiogheny River; the relocation of Sugarloaf Road; moving bike lanes; and new clothes-changing facilities. One immediate issue is where construction equipment will be stored during tourist season. The business owners want it put in one location so it doesn’t take up too much of the town’s limited parking spaces. It’s now occupying portions of the upper Ferncliff Peninsula parking lot and the parking lot near the old Western Maryland Railway station used by vehicles toting bike racks and roof racks for kayaks and canoes. As the sounds of bulldozers and backhoes growled in the background on a sunny, 65 degree afternoon Thursday, Mr. Beaumariage assured Ms. Kruse and other business owners gathered on dusty, one-block-long Negley Street that he’s well aware of their concerns. “I swear to God, I don’t want to hurt your businesses.” “Well, you already have,” said Jim Greenbaum, manager of White Water Adventurers, which is located on Negley Street. “I had to cancel a raft trip today because the street is closed.” The company uses the street so its trucks, large vans and trailers can transport customers, rafts, canoes, inflatable kayaks and related whitewater equipment to and from its main garage that fronts on Negley. “We never intended for this street to be closed,” Mr. Beaumariage said. “Unfortunately, the contractor didn’t know that, and that’s on me.” That didn’t sit well with Joel Means, owner and operator of Ohiopyle Trading Post and River Tours. His business also fronts on Negley and is used by his vehicles, including buses, to transport customers. He said construction projects during the past five years have cost him more than $200,000 in lost business. They included a Green Street Project on Sherman Street, a PennDOT bike lane and cross walks project along Route 381, the main road through town, and the new Visitors Center. “I lost $60,000 alone on that Route 381 project,” Mr. Means said. “It was supposed to be done by Memorial Day of that year but it wasn’t completed until June 30 -- a very costly delay.” Mr. Means would like to have PennDOT and its contractor, Plum Contracting Inc. of Greensburg, finish what is formally known as the Ohiopyle Multimodal Gateway Project this year. But Mr. Beaumariage said that wasn’t possible because it’s a two-phase, two-year job. “I don’t want this project to continue into a third year,” Mr. Means said, a sentiment echoed by other business owners who accompanied Mr. Beaumariage on a walking tour of the town. If the rafting companies lose money, so does the state. The companies pay the state $4.10 for each of their rafting customers. A park employee counts them as they carry the rafts down to the Youghiogheny River. The day began for the business owners with a meeting and then a walking tour with state Rep. Matthew Dowling, R-Uniontown. “It’s clear that parking is a big issue,” Mr. Dowling said. “I will contact PennDOT about that. I also want an updated copy of their Phase One and Phase Two plans for myself and the business owners.”
edronline
2019-03-15 13:10:29
the story mentioned that the crosswalk would be moved closer to forbes. However, in the sketch in the article it looks in the same place?
edronline
2019-04-01 10:22:23
Hard to believe this is not April Fools but it certainly sounds serious. The occasional illegal trips through the Squirrel Hill tunnel are about to become official. https://pittsburgh.verylocal.com/squirrel-hill-tunnel-bike-lane/21349/?fbclid=IwAR17J60UEVbWT3cc3YbrisrIlJI5JzFu2n2DQj37P4FXSmBPwUpXvBFVHLE Oh wait, I'm wrong. It is April Fools. “I hope drivers will remain in good spirits about this change that we believe will have a positive impact on these neighborhoods, hopefully, any frustration will be eliminated as drivers realize this is a plan that was unveiled for April 1.”
jonawebb
2019-04-01 11:35:46
That last one got enough attention that my manager asked me, “Is this for real?” I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that a story like that gets used as an AFD teaser.
stuinmccandless
2019-04-02 06:17:24
Got an email that Scoobi is back for the season.
edronline
2019-04-02 07:49:53
There's an artice in the Fox Chapel Herald that I cannot find online that says that etna will break ground on the riverfront park June 3rd. The article also seems to say that the trail is not currently scheduled to go through the riverfront 47 property in Aspinwall. It seems that there is some sort of issue with part of the parcel needing to be unlinked from riverfront 47 and being developed on its own. The article didn't have a lot of details and I'm also sad to see that aspenwall riverfront Park received a million dollars from the colcom foundation which is the foundation that supports Neo-Nazis And was the foundation that like Pittsburgh unlinked themselves from last year.
edronline
2019-04-04 18:25:43
@Eric: there is a plan to try to purchase 15 acres from R47 developer upon which the trail could be built. The idea is that un-linking the trail from the commercial development would speed-up the trail development process. If the building of the trail were left to the developer, it would be the last item on their agenda, and likely 25-years away. I saw that article as well, and unfortunately (but not surprisingly), it is poorly written and mangles the intent. The trail (when built) would of course continue through R47 to Aspinwall. The proposal discussed makes the point that *without* separating the trail element from the commercial element, the trail would not happen for a long, long time. Below is the link to the story. https://triblive.com/local/hampton-shaler/summit-presented-bevy-of-plans-to-make-region-safer-for-bikes-pedestrians/
atleastmykidsloveme
2019-04-05 09:16:14
I would just hope that they don't build the trail, people use it for a few years and then they close it down while they bulldoze the whole site for years. See Strip District Trail / Buncher Co. See Hazelwood Trail / Almono / Hazelwood Green
benzo
2019-04-05 14:32:48
@Benzo: I agree/disagree... If the alternative is that the trail is only built after all else, then I absolutely want the trail built and physically (and legally) established. Even if it needs to be closed due to construction, it would still exist as a legal entity, the rights to which could be asserted. In other words the Trail would be a "thing". Obviously in a perfect world, "buy the land, build the trail, keep the trail open" would be ideal. But for the world we live in, I much prefer "buy the land, establish the property and use legally, build the trail, and go from there", over "developer promises to maybe build trail at some point 30 years in the future (unless they can find a more profitable use of the land?)..."
atleastmykidsloveme
2019-04-06 09:03:01
Didn't want to start a new thread. Just finished an excellent new book- Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery by Christie Aschwanden Athlete and science writer looked at the data re recovery from exercise. Truth is recovery done right (evidence based) is cheap- eat, drink, and rest. No data for most of recovery stuff out there- massage, foam rollers, saunas/heat, sports drinks, compression tights/boots etc etc. Bad data for icing and nsaids- makes recovery longer. "Undoes" gains during exercise because inflammation after exercise is normal- little tears in muscle and your body rebuilds and reinforces making muscles stronger. Very interesting book. Quick read.
edronline
2019-04-13 11:13:56
Heads up for anyone riding downtown.  A few weeks back the county/state moved the turn signal on lights to the end of the light cycle. It was my fault, but this almost got me hit because I was watching the cross light turn to red and started to go not realizing the opposite light has a turn arrow and stayed green. Not sure if this was every light, but it is at least the 3-4 on Grant and Blvd of Allies that I go through daily.
jstalnaker2112
2019-04-15 09:52:57
Per article in PG and discussion on Reddit the food truck park in Millvale is done/closed. Evidently owners not responding to anyone including the Borough of Millvale. So don't ride out there expecting food. :)
edronline
2019-04-16 20:51:43
Directly across from AGH. Feet away from E. North and Cedar, southwest corner. Lit up at night. It’s quite a fountain.
stuinmccandless
2019-04-18 19:25:57
Bad cut and paste job for those without access From left, Theresa Ward, Linda Warman and Ziggy Edwards joined a group of about a dozen gathered at the City-County Building, Downtown, on Monday, April 22, 2019, to protest the city's plan to install a path for an electric shuttle bus from Hazelwood to Oakland 3 MORE City officials, residents disagree on transportation service from Hazelwood to Oakland Photo of Ed Blazina ED BLAZINA Pittsburgh Post-Gazette eblazina@post-gazette.com APR 22, 2019 7:54 PM Pittsburgh officials and residents of the flood-prone Junction Hollow area of Greenfield have completely different views on a proposed transportation project between Hazelwood and Oakland. The city says it has had “extensive public engagement” on the proposed Mon-Oakland Mobility Plan, an on-call electric vehicle it says will link residents of Hazelwood and workers at the growing Hazelwood Green complex with Oakland via a private bicycle-shuttle road through Schenley Park and the Four Mile Run watershed. But residents and activists organized by Pittsburghers for Public Transit, at a rally Monday in the portico of the City-County Building, said the city welcomed their input then proceeded to ignore nearly all of it. They say the shuttle service is unnecessary, would turn neighborhood streets in the area known as “The Run” into parking lots for shuttle riders, and doesn’t address needs such as sidewalks and public bus service. ADVERTISEMENT “The route and service plan for the proposed shuttle, which could use self-driving vehicles, were carefully crafted to address all articulated concerns and minimize impact on the Four Mile Run neighborhood,” Karina Ricks, director of the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, said in a statement. “In fact, the route does not run on any public streets within The Run and has limited, if any, service access to that neighborhood per local resident request.” The city project first drew fire about 3½ years ago, when residents found out the city was pursuing the transportation project but not dealing with decade-old complaints about flooding in the neighborhood. So the city first encouraged the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and then Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to address the flooding concerns. As a result, the authority is finalizing plans for a $41 million project for the watershed and hopes to begin construction in about a year, spokesman Will Pickering said in an email Monday. The project, which would include dredging Panther Hollow Lake to more than triple its capacity to 3.6 million gallons of water, is designed to mitigate flooding in the Junction Hollow area, particularly Boundary and Saline streets, and sewer overflows into the Monongahela River. ADVERTISEMENT In addition to runoff mitigation, the project would regrade the valley around Junction Hollow and include new, 20-foot-wide trails for bicycles and the proposed low-speed shuttle. There also will be 10-foot-wide trails for pedestrians. The city hopes to install the trail for electric vehicles during the flood mitigation project so the area would only have to be disrupted for construction once. “We recognize that our project is in close proximity to the mobility project, and are in regular communication with the city and other stakeholders to ensure that the projects are not in conflict and that construction is coordinated where possible to maximize cost effectiveness and minimize disruption for city residents,” Mr. Pickering said. “Our top priority is to deliver an effective stormwater project.” While residents say they are happy with the flood mitigation work, they still want no part of the shuttle, which they say is designed to serve the Hazelwood Green development, not long-time residents. About a dozen protesters carried signs with slogans such as, “I was here first — develop for me,” and “Schenley Park is not a corporate playground.” Ziggy Edwards, a Junction Hollow resident for three years, called the city response to public comments “really funny” saying the city has shown a “blatant disregard” for residents’ concerns. She said she’s concerned that there isn’t enough room for the asphalt shuttle trail and other park amenities, and that the trail would counteract the flood control measures. “This is about not having our concerns addressed,” she said. “This wasn’t planned for us. This is a park. It’s not for vehicles.” Councilman Corey O’Connor, whose district includes the flood-prone area, said in an interview Monday that stopping runoff must be the first step. He had been critical of the plans for the transportation system before the runoff project was announced, but he said Monday that there weren’t enough details available yet to decide whether he to support it now. “I don’t think there are enough answers yet,” Mr. O’Connor said. “Who operates the system, who rides it, are still to be answered.” Port Authority said Monday it has had no discussion with the city about running the shuttle service. Ed Blazina: eblazina@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1470 or on Twitter @EdBlazina.
edronline
2019-04-23 08:18:20
Team 26 Sets Course For New Destination: Pittsburgh https://www.newtownbee.com/team-26-sets-course-new-destination-pittsburgh/04232019 Every year since 2013, Sandy Hook resident and gun violence prevention advocate Monte Frank and his Team 26 cycling colleagues have traveled between Newtown and Washington, D.C., to remember those lost to gun violence here in Newtown on 12/14 as well as to unite fellow Americans and elected leaders at state and federal levels around their mission... Team 26 will depart Newtown for Pittsburgh on its 2019 ride of peace, hope, and love on Friday, April 26. Mr Frank said this year’s ride will also incorporate several configurations of riders that will number between 20 and 30.
marko82
2019-04-23 16:56:16
Oh! Trib responded and changed the headline and article.
edronline
2019-04-23 17:44:06
somewhat off topic but Ill make it on topic-- Bike to work downtown tomorrow, come home with a new tree for Arbor day-- Tree Pittsburgh giving away 1,000 saplings in Market Square 11a-2p (or until trees are gone). Do good by the earth and help replace Allegheny County tree cover. https://www.treepittsburgh.org/event/arbor-day-seedling-giveaway-2/
edronline
2019-04-25 13:55:49
more info on the Millcraft lagoon development near the casino. They're going to use that whole triangle parcel plus the riverfront with a marina. Hopefully they'll leave the trail during construction and also make it so that the trail is protected for users instead of having it be an area where people at the development gather (i.e., block it by hanging out on it). https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/developer-wants-to-add-sandy-beach-lagoon-ferris-wheel-to-north-shore/
edronline
2019-04-29 08:57:53
Sounds like it won't block access from glass run rd to the GAP trail nor would it affect access to the GAP from the staircase from the glenwood bridge sidewalk to the GAP.
benzo
2019-05-01 14:05:44
Today’s Trib has a letter from Ken Werner from Walk//Bike Ross. He rewrote an earlier letter I authored. As of 6pm, no replies, for or against.
stuinmccandless
2019-05-10 17:58:18
Apropos of nothing us cyclists keep a lookout for narrow sidewalks made worse by construction signs from Penndot etc. I never knew the regs for minimum sidewalk width for ADA so I looked it up- 36".
edronline
2019-05-14 08:00:00
as a frequent trail user in the pgh area I sometimes worry about finding a dead body. That would be scary. these are the super hilly trails that are behind the bike oval or over by the LARPer (on sundays) parking lot? https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2019/05/21/Body-found-near-Highland-Park-bike-trails/stories/201905210089 A man’s body was discovered near bike trails near the border of Highland Park and Lincoln-Lemington on Monday, according to Pittsburgh police. The body was found in the 1400 block of Washington Boulevard just after 5 p.m., police said. The body, which has not been identified, was discovered in a wooded area about 75 feet from the trail. No foul play is suspected. Police are investigating.
edronline
2019-05-21 09:38:28
Oh thank God! Finally. She always eeked out after a split from so many candidates running against her. He seems to have gotten above 50 percent! Hopefully Harris will go quietly into the night instead of running a write in campaign in the fall.
edronline
2019-05-21 22:05:47
The radio story I heard was that she was not disappointed in the loss, in that she had been "uncertain" as to whether she wanted to run again anyway. I think she'll go quietly into the night.
swalfoort
2019-05-22 09:20:12
I’m excited to see Bethany Hallam win. Both my kids worked side by side with her at the store up the street from my house. I’ve known her over 10 years. I don’t know how much she bikes, but she doesn’t drive, and is keenly aware how difficult it is to get around without adequate transit. I know she knows how much I rely on a bike for basic transportation.
stuinmccandless
2019-05-23 06:42:42
There seems to be 2-3 bikes left a week at the exact same place in the far parking lot of Millvale Riverfront Park. As I'm in the park 4-5x a week I email Healthy Ride every time a new bike shows up. Today I got an email from Healthy Ride alluding to the fact that there seems to be one person leaving bjkes there repeatedly. I replied back that even though it is in Millvale and not Pgh, couldn't they put a station in the Riverfront Park? So we'll see if they are willing/able to expand their footprint out of the city proper. I'm wondering if their contract with the city makes them exclusive to the city limits?
edronline
2019-06-28 15:23:35
Response from healthy ride is contract says city of Pgh or private property, so no Millvale Riverfront Park...
edronline
2019-06-28 16:52:04
@Eric - Take a bus to Millvale, walk down to where the bikes are being left, rent it, and ride it back downtown. Or at least to the nearest dock in L’ ville. Then tell them about it. I’ve done this and gotten a credit toward a free half hour in the past.   @marko82 - Small world? The author of that article is Scott Bricker’s sister-in-law. And it was her TED talk at the 2013 TEDxCMU that inspired my post about What Do These Little Towns Need?.
stuinmccandless
2019-06-30 14:12:53
Awesome news about the Montour Trail extending to Coraopolis and the Coraopolis Bridge.  The current end of the trail (called Montour Coketown Road on google maps) is a pain to get to on bike, and is even tough to find in a car.
alleghenian
2019-07-18 14:23:47
google chrome version 76 fixed some sort of loophole with incognito mode so that most news sites can't keep track of articles you read now while in incognito mode. So for those that hit the Post-Gazette pay/registerwall and also hit it with incognito mode, it now shouldn't be an issue if you upgrade to chrome 76. At least for now.
edronline
2019-08-05 15:24:03
Regarding the off-duty officer drunk-hit-and-run article: I'm wowed by how much technology was used to charge him: GPS from his truck, cameras from outside and inside the bar...
rustyred
2019-08-17 09:04:46
Glad the police pursued it. Especially when the person of interest was a cop.
edronline
2019-08-17 13:05:42
Also with the guy on security camera drinking 8 beers and several shots plus him stumbling out to the car and getting in while pushing someone away who tried to stop him I'm thinking that the bar has culpablity in the matter, if not criminal (ie seems they don't want to pursue criminal) then at least civil.
edronline
2019-08-17 16:21:56
There's not much civil liability if there wasn't much injury. And it sounds like that is true, fortunately.
jonawebb
2019-08-17 16:51:03
Good point. Though I think the pain and suffering from his concussion might be enough to more than pay for the cost of the law suit.
edronline
2019-08-17 21:49:11
The PG had an enlightened editorial about how downtown needs more parking. https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2019/08/18/Pittsburgh-parking-development-Bill-Peduto/stories/201904300220 Which has generated some response. https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2019/08/21/City-needs-more-transit-options/stories/201908210060 If you read the PG online with chrome v 76 it can't track you/you can't hit the reading limit. BTW Paul and Jon ftw with their editorial comments.
edronline
2019-08-21 07:13:58
Cop story: * DUI, check * Runs red light, assorted other infractions, check * Big pickup truck, check * Hit and run, check * Denies culpability, check * White supremacist, check * Boatload of corroborating evidence, check * Gets to keep his job (for now), check Shall I go on?
stuinmccandless
2019-08-21 13:43:20
* = suspended without pay, right? so at least there's that. but ,yeah, it doesn't look good any way you look at it. I'm just glad that the police pursued it instead of burying it.
edronline
2019-08-21 13:49:18
Pedal PGH this Sunday Bike pgh has once again done a masterful job promoting this on their message board.
edronline
2019-08-23 09:24:30
@Eric - unfortunately I don't think most people realize all the various pots of money that pay for things. If anyone has ever seen a municipal budget they would know that general road maintenance, vs bike lanes, vs maintaining a regional tourist attraction would each get paid for from different pots - and each of those distinct pots might be getting filled from multiple sources (ie County money, state funding, etc). But "old man shaking fist at clouds" out there is gleefully unaware, and after all, isn't rambling incoherently a lot more fun anyway...?
atleastmykidsloveme
2019-08-26 08:29:59
It's also part of the "I paid taxes my whole life and now there's a bike lane costing millions that adds 30 seconds onto my trip." And feeling like the bike lane is a handout- people that use it are lazy millennials. Or not white Etc.
edronline
2019-08-26 12:34:31
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/redesigned-bike-lanes-could-protect-cyclists-in-pittsburgh-area/ Parking protected bike lane demonstration this weekend at Kingsley assoc. Cue the angry old white people comments underneath the article! They're good this time! Like Karen who will take her business elsewhere rather than park next to a bike lane!!! Is it mean of me to be glad that in a generation most of these anti progress old white people won't be alive anymore? Also riverlife and cultural trust looking for rad money to art-ify the trail from the point to the strip. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2019/09/05/Regional-Asset-District-stirs-nonprofits-with-new-money-pot-Pittsburgh-impact/stories/201909060068
edronline
2019-09-05 18:53:48
"Angry old white people...". That pejorative appears quite regularly in these comments lately.  Apparently it is quite acceptable to use this phrase here.  I wonder what other races or age groups could be lumped together in such a negative way? My guess is that the people who post comments regarding news about bike lanes and such cover a wide age range, though I would suppose most are white.  Most are also likely a bit older, because demographics show that young people do not read daily papers, even on the internet. On the other hand, to the best of my knowledge, an older white person has never tried to run me off the road, thrown a half full beer bottle at me, right hooked me to get into a shopping center, clipped my elbow with the gigantic mirror on his truck, rolled into me at a stop sign because she was on her phone,  dumped hundreds of nails along the route of a charity bike ride, nor jumped out of his truck and assaulted me because I was in 'his' lane.   The people who did this were mostly under forty, 2 were black, 2 were woman. These are incidents that occurred in the past few years and have likely happened to us all.   Most of them were angry. I'll take some people venting in the comments section anytime over the angry folks we encounter everyday on the road.  Those angry young/middle aged, white/black, male/female drivers earn the negative remarks. Maybe we could stop with the angry old white people comments.  I am sad that some on here are glad that the old white people alive today will be gone in a couple of decades.  Of course, the middle aged white people of today will replace them, and the new group of old white people will not like change either.  For that matter, neither will old black/hispanic/Asian/native American/mixed face people.I Thank you for your time. This old, but seldom angry, white person appreciates it.
kolo-jezdec
2019-09-07 08:05:41
I can't read the PG article because I am already out of my free articles. I really was mostly concerned to read it for the comments from the "angry old white men" abundant here in yinzerville at the bottom. I bet they are a hoot. Then we can come here on Bike Pittsburgh message boards and argue more about people lumping them all together as a pejorative.
shooflypie
2019-09-09 15:44:27
If you upgrade to the newest version of Chrome, in exchange for letting Google monetize everything about your browsing habits you can use Incognito mode, which now (in the newest version of Chrome) defeats the "you have run out of free articles."
edronline
2019-09-09 16:40:01
here are the current comments, btw, cut and pasted via incognito mode. Anthony Cholewinski7 hours ago How many streets are wide enough for this configuration? REPLY(2 Replies) 2 Earl Rothfuss6 hours ago @Anthony Cholewinski This is a really good and entirely pertinent question. Many urban and small town streets throughout Pennsylvania are not nearly wide enough to accommodate the lane additions. Making the lanes used by motor vehicles much narrower is going to have significant impact on accident rates. REPLY 0 dave sobal5 hours ago @Earl Rothfuss I believe the impact on accident rates with narrower lanes will happen. Cars will drive slower (maybe even down to the speed limit!) and drivers might become more attentative therefore reducing collisions. REPLY 0 Luke Steelerstalls8 hours ago Cyclists are entitled and elitist SJWs who do not follow traffic laws. REPLY(2 Replies) -3 Nivek Morris5 hours ago @Luke Steelerstalls Not entirely true, I know plenty of old rednecks who ride bikes. REPLY 1 Duke Penguinstalls4 hours ago @Luke Steelerstalls I s SJWs the same as PDS? REPLY 1 Stephen Dennison8 hours ago Most cyclist ride for exercise and fun. Go on the routes that are safe and stay off the heavily traveled roads. It is the cyclist who make the roads unsafe. REPLY(1 Replies) -2 Nivek Morris6 hours ago @Stephen Dennison Yes, when I drive I'm terrified I may be hit by a bike and have to buff out the spot on my bumper where they hit. The bike riders I may hit have no such worries. REPLY 1 Paul Heckbert13 hours ago It's ridiculous that PA law doesn't currently allow a left-to-right lane arrangement like this: [driving lane, parking, bike lane, curb]. If there's parking, currently the law allows only [driving lane, bike lane, parking, curb]. The latter puts cyclists at greater risk of injury or death because cyclists have to ride several feet away from parked cars to avoid getting doored (colliding with a car door that someone swings open suddenly in front of them), probably crashing to the ground, and then possibly getting run over by a car passing them closely on the left. With the first arrangement, a parking-protected bike lane, cyclists are further from moving cars that could kill them. PA needs to pass the law to allow bike lanes to be built this way. Having more and safer bike lanes will get more people biking (commuting to work, recreation, taking a short ride to the store, ...) which is good for health, saving money, decongesting roads, air quality, ... REPLY(1 Replies) 1 Richard McHenry7 hours ago @Paul Heckbert Were you one of the 40 demonstrators? REPLY 1 Mitch D.19 hours ago I want to ride my horse to work, can we get a hard dirt or clay surface along Grant st., and a hitching post? I don't like bicycles because their tires don't decompose in the landfills, and cars pollute the air. REPLY(2 Replies) 0 Luke Steelerstalls7 hours ago @Mitch D. I suggest we also use pack mules and horses for the mail to be distributed in the city. REPLY -2 Duke Penguinstalls4 hours ago @Luke Steelerstalls It is metaphysically impossible to be more lame or corny. REPLY 1
edronline
2019-09-09 16:41:56
I’m clearly failing at being terse and inflammatory in the PG comment section.
paulheckbert
2019-09-09 17:17:47
It's interesting how the 40 people riding bikes became "demonstrators.". You know, antifa, hooligans, etc. All those demonstrators are asking to do is for laws to change so the bike lane can be on the inside, not the outside.
edronline
2019-09-09 18:08:33
Interesting article on the PG today about redevelopment of shady-penn. What's bike related is that there's neighborhood opposition to it because of increased car traffic. But nestled in the quotes is a pro car view. Especially seen with the person who complains it'll be unsafe for pedestrians and lead to longer delays for him as a driver. So the pro peds view being expressed (they're not going to be safe) is really pro car (it's going to take more time for me to drive where I want). I'm not saying anything about the merits of this project, but to help solve congestion and sprawl and affordable housing and global climate change part of the answer is denser housing. But current stakeholders almost universally rail against it, even in liberal neighborhoods like Shadyside. Planet money from NPR had a few episodes this summer about this exact battle taking place in California. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2019/09/10/East-End-residents-conersn-proposed-Shadyside-development-Shady-Hill-Center/stories/201909100062
edronline
2019-09-10 06:38:24
@Eric That PG article could've been done by the Onion without changing a word. Do not try to rationalize a single word of those complaints; they're caricatures of old white wealthy NIMBYs. My favorite is the old white lady, a Shadyside resident for all of *two* years, complaining that neighborhood character will be ruined by a "suburban" development. They're replacing a godd*mn strip mall with dense infill! A strip mall! Community meetings on housing are for the privileged to get their say and little else. They provide almost no redeeming value.
nmr
2019-09-10 09:06:32
I didn't want to touch the "old white people" third rail of this message board. The irony is that that strip mall has been terrible for years. It had some businesses that served the AA community but they all moved out. And the giant eagle is pretty substandard. With development giant eagle will make that store better and serve everyone better. That store is a marginal step up from the terrible old center ave Giant eagle that closed about 10 years ago.
edronline
2019-09-10 10:34:28
My favorite quote: “take away from the ambience of the neighborhood.” Because that strip mall with the liquor store and giant eagle and dollar store was fantastic. I grew up in Shaker heights Ohio and they just redid an old strip mall with mixed use development, mainly offices and stores/Restaurants and a climbing gym. It's now hipster heaven. There were the usual complaints but now that it is done it's beloved by the community and a huge selling point to bring younger adults/families who would move out to, say, Solon instead. Plus it's right where the rapid terminates so it's a 20 min train ride to downtown for work. My dad lives two blocks away and my guess is that it's increased the value of his house by about 10 percent.
edronline
2019-09-10 10:52:00
I won’t waste my time commenting on the Trib site, but will point out that there is a second bridge in that ‘hood that cannot be used. Wilksboro Ave, just off the California-Benton corner, the bridge is still there but blocked off from any use. It’s so well hidden you have to hunt to find it on either end. In fact, it was Tag #1255. Tag 1255 - Wilksboro Ave bridge https://goo.gl/maps/XTjRHNQu39tNyed49
stuinmccandless
2019-09-17 06:38:10
Right on, Stu! I'm hesitant to tell people about it in this era of Instagrammable hot spots in fear that somebody will fall taking a selfie and the solution will be to demolish the thing, but Wilksboro is one of the truly coolest relics I know of in the city.
nmr
2019-09-17 14:25:49
I am too lazy to create a new topic. I was sitting in a dentist office today reading one of those free magazines about triathlons and in it it suggested that you should apply wax or lemon pledge to most of the areas of your bike to winterize it. Has anyone ever done this?
edronline
2019-09-20 13:24:20
I use Pedro's Bike Lust, which is essentially a silicone "wax", throughout the year. I don't know as it's heavy enough to protect against a ton of exposure to ice, salt, and sand, but I find it produces a nice shine and helps against general road gunk. For wintry conditions, I mostly just use an old beater bike. A related old maid's tale is using Pledge to clean dirty bar tape. Tried it, didn't help much, left the tape feeling very slick.
ornoth
2019-09-21 08:24:55
An article about cycling the GAP trail as a black person. Where the writer tells his black companions in McKeesport: “So just so y’all know, once we leave The Port, we probably ain’t gonna see any more of us until we get to Maryland.” https://time.com/5675803/america-flag-threat/
paulheckbert
2019-09-22 17:04:21
Paul, I saw your comment under the trip article on the gap trail and I emailed the author last night and told him the same thing about the switchback. My guess is that because the trib is all about saving money and having low journalist standards that this author never actually rode the gap trail but instead was pulling his information from websites. plus the fact that they do no copy editing or fact checking....
edronline
2019-09-22 21:10:28
@Greg.h, I took the T to Dormont and biked along Washington Rd. to Castle Shannon Blvd. yesterday, so I was in that area. I would generally avoid the southern part of Pioneer Ave. As with most of the South Hills. getting there exclusively by bike is a real challenge. Public transportation such as the T and South Busway is basically a necessity when trying to reach any of those neighborhoods from points north of Mt. Washington. Brookline is accessible via the 39 Brookline bus as well as the Y46, Y47, and Y49 buses to Whited Shelter and a climb up Jacob St. You could also take the Red Line to Potomac and go towards W. Liberty Ave. then left followed by a right onto Pioneer Ave.
zzwergel
2019-10-22 19:51:00
Exit South Busway at Central, the one immediately after South Bank, carry bike up either of 125+ steps, then you’re on fairly quiet streets and have conquered most of the elevation change. One side gets you to the end of Brookline Blvd, the other gets you to the very residential Glenbury/Aaron area.
stuinmccandless
2019-10-23 07:32:17
@Stu, That can be done as well if you don't mind carrying a bike up the steps.
zzwergel
2019-10-23 20:21:51
Austin was only 22, had a 2 year old that will never get to know him. That story was sad, and I'm kinda of shocked there isn't even anything more for him on this forum. This forum did go down hill.
shooflypie
2019-10-23 21:21:20
Dear @ShoeFlyPie, may I respond regarding Austin's death, arrangements, and a bike community response? You're absolutely right that it's a tragedy. It's a complex tragedy. It presents one factor which I think we haven't seen before. We usually only go big if the family concurs, and that discussion is still happening. People have lost a son, a fiancee, a dad - we don't get to say, in three days we're going to have a ghost bike ride just because it suits us. There is a neighborhood leader looking into a ghost bike and placement and maybe a ride. BikePgh is doing the right things. These things all unfold differently and at different paces. I guess my response fwiw is: people are working on it, it's unusually complex, and maybe we should have communicated better. All the best, VB  
vannever
2019-10-27 22:02:15
WPXI devoted 1:48 (that's minutes and seconds) to the bike plan. Their story:
  • set it up as an issue with two opposing sides
  • failed to explain the difference between protected bike lane, unprotected bike lane, sharrow, "neighbor way", and trail
  • pointed to a sharrow and called it a bike lane!
  • interviewed someone on the sidewalk that said, of cyclists "you have to respect them, because if you hit them, you're the one that's in trouble"; who thinks the answer is "make more bike trails rather than using the streets"
Maybe it would help if the TV videographer would shoot some video not just from a stationary tripod and from a car, but also from a bicycle, to help dissolve the us-versus-them division? https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/120-miles-of-safe-travel-ways-to-be-included-in-master-plan-for-biking-in-pittsburgh/1007197515
paulheckbert
2019-11-11 23:20:41
The author is from Carnegie. An appropriate response is: When you pay taxes to the City, you can have a say. Else SHUTUP...dickweed. ...or something to tha effect... Also, I don't think any of these venues are hurting for attendance... And the Phipps bikelanes, though I feel are poorly placed...they are that way so as to preserve parking... And the elderly shouldn't be driving and parking anyway...they have free bus passes...paid for by our gamblers...and they're mooching off the hardworking taxpayers via that Ponzi scheme called Social Security... ... think soylent green...The New Green Deal.
yalecohen
2019-12-03 04:47:54
"When you pay taxes to the City, you can have a say. Else SHUTUP…dickweed. …or something to tha effect…" Would this also be an appropriate response to cycling advocates who do not live in the city?  Or is the implication that all cyclists who support bicycle infrastructure in the city are city residents?  Some of them might be "dickweeds," whatever that is.   I do not have facts at hand to put forth, but my bet is that county, state and even federal money is used to construct and maintain the city's roads. And mooching off of hard-working taxpayers?  Really?  You do realize that these "moochers" were once hard working taxpayers just like you, and some still are. Please attempt debate with others with information, not ad hominem attacks. Thank you for your time.  Have a great day.  
kolo-jezdec
2019-12-03 06:23:43
Kolo, I think you missed my sarcasm...and how do you know I was ever hardworking or a taxpayer... ...so much for fact checking... Do you realize that one need not be a taxpayer to vote or have an opinion, etc...that IS a fact. Have a cup of cocoa with a marshmallow...
yalecohen
2019-12-03 07:29:19