Pedestrian Advocacy

BikePGH Advocacy Manager Seth Bush points out an outdated curb ramp on a neighborhood walk audit.
BikePGH Advocacy Manager Seth Bush points out an outdated curb ramp on a neighborhood walk audit.

BikePGH: Making Sure the Future of Pittsburgh is Accessible for Everyone

Pittsburgh has always been a city that walks, and BikePGH is committed to ensuring that everyone can do so safely as part of our mission to improve our quality of life and reduce the harmful effects of car dependence in our communities.

We advocate across Allegheny County for policies and projects that make our streets safer and more accessible, help shape the plans that guide walkable development in our neighborhoods, and support partners to lead community organizing initiatives that have a greater impact than we could ever have on our own.

PUBLIC POLICY

  • Complete Streets Policies: These policies require streets to be planned, designed, and maintained for users of all ages and abilities, putting pedestrians first. BikePGH has been integral in getting complete streets policies passed, first in the City of Pittsburgh (2016), then leading to over 10 more local policies, everywhere from Sharpsburg to Allegheny County itself and the Southwestern PA Commission (SPC). Learn more about Complete Streets policies
  • Vision Zero: Vision Zero is a holistic policy approach dedicated to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. It requires a focused, multi-pronged approach to leadership, enlisting tools across multiple City Departments. We advocated for the City of Pittsburgh to make a commitment to Vision Zero, which both Council and the Mayor signed onto in early 2024, and began making necessary changes. Allegheny County and the Southwestern PA Commission have since launched their own Vision Zero planning efforts. Learn more about Vision Zero, and see below for more information on the specific programs that emerged from Vision Zero.
  • Lobbying Elected Leaders: We engage with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for legislation and policies that promote safe, accessible walking and biking.
  • Reporting on Walking & Biking Trends: We regularly publish statistics and analysis related to who walks in Pittsburgh, where, and how safe our streets are for vulnerable road users. See our 2026 snapshot and more on our blog.
Picture of a freshly painted intersection with a crosswalk, pedestrian sign, pedestrian refuge island, and elements to prevent illegal turns.
A complete streets upgrade on Penn Ave in Lawrenceville.

STREET DESIGN

  • Complete Street Redesigns: When you design a street for all users, everyone wins. We advocate for traffic calming measures that help improve conditions for people walking by implementing such interventions as slowing down cars, enticing people on bikes to ride on the street (not the sidewalk), and improved intersections. Read more here
  • Critical Sidewalk Gaps: We advocate for the City to fund projects that repair broken sidewalks and add new ones where they’re missing. This is an important part of the City’s Vision Zero program because people walking on the street make up 65% of deadly pedestrian crashes.
  • Traffic Calming: Speed kills. We’ve helped usher in important traffic calming tools in Pittsburgh, such as speed humps, raised crosswalks, curb bumpouts, traffic circles, and pedestrian refuge islands. This is a key program of the City’s Vision Zero initiative.
  • Road Markings: We were tired of faded crosswalks, so we worked with the City to improve the quality and design of these markings.
  • Traffic Signals: We encourage the implementation of traffic signal upgrades that help pedestrians such as leading pedestrian intervals, automatic pedestrian recall, longer crossing times, and dedicated pedestrian “all walk” phases.
Volunteers educate youth and families about safe walking at a table at OpenStreetsPGH.
Volunteers educate youth and families about safe walking at OpenStreetsPGH.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

  • Pittsburgh Walks: BikePGH is the leading force behind Pittsburgh Walks, a coalition of organizations and passionate volunteers advocating for infrastructure, programs and policies to improve safety, accessibility, and enjoyment for people who walk in the City of Pittsburgh including people with disabilities. Learn more about Pittsburgh Walks and get involved here
  • Safe Sidewalks Crew: This initiative led in collaboration with Pittsburgh Walks, Access Mob Pittsburgh, and the Department of Mobility & Infrastructure (DOMI) organizes volunteers to assess the quality of sidewalks in Pittsburgh using a mobile “app”. The collected data helps the City identify where sidewalks need to be improved or built, prioritize pedestrian infrastructure projects, and make the case for funding. Meanwhile, the volunteers who collect the data are building a community to advocate for the infrastructure we need to thrive. Learn more and join the Safe Sidewalks Crew here
  • Neighborhood Bike-Ped Committees: We help inspire, organize, and share resources with Neighborhood Biking & Walking Advocacy Committees around the city. These dedicated community members are improving the places where they live by making their streets safer for biking and walking. Find a committee near you (or get help starting one) here
  • Protect Pedestrians: Sidewalk parking has become a persistent issue in our city, impeding the safe and convenient passage of people who walk and roll. We launched an awareness campaign to educate our neighbors about the negative impacts of sidewalk parking. Learn more here
A picture of The City of Pittsburgh Complete Streets Advisory Group visiting the new Penn Circle Conversion project.
The City of Pittsburgh Complete Streets Advisory Group visits the new Penn Circle Conversion project.

PLANNING

  • Complete Streets Advisory Group (CSAG): The Complete Streets Policy we helped pass in 2016 ushered in the City’s first official committee focused on street safety and pedestrian improvements. Learn more about CSAG here, and consider joining!
  • Pedestrian Action Plan: As committee members, BikePGH helped to create the City’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan that lays out actions for improving Pittsburgh’s walkability. Learn more about the plan here
  • Neighborhood Plans: Over the years, BikePGH has been part of developing neighborhood plans across the City that incorporate improvements for walking and biking. We provide input directly and encourage residents to get involved.
  • Active Transportation Plans: Outside the City of Pittsburgh, BikePGH has helped several municipalities from Wilkinsburg to Bellevue develop Active Transportation Plans that chart a course for making improvements to walking, biking, bus access, and other active modes in their community. Allegheny County is also updating their Active Transportation Plan.
  • Steps Plan: We cheered on the City to create a plan for the future of our famous city steps. We helped get scores of people out to community meetings related to this plan to have their voices heard and we continue to support bike/ped committees advocating for steps improvements in their neighborhood. Learn more about the steps plan here
  • Zoning Code Reform: We have been members of steering committees for various special planning districts that focus on reducing car-parking requirements and enhancing the built environment for people on foot and on bike.
  • Pittsburgh 2050 Comprehensive Plan: BikePGH has been involved in helping to shape Pittsburgh’s first ever comprehensive plan, ensuring that the vision for Pittsburgh’s future prioritizes walkability and reduces car dependency. We have given direct input as an organization and also mobilized our members and supporters to participate in this extensive planning effort.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO MAKE STREETS & SIDEWALKS SAFER

The best way to help transform City streets is to become a member. Join our community of 3,500+ members today at BikePGH.org/member and follow us on social media @BikePGH