Overview
Traffic calming will improve this connection, identified on DOMI’s Bike+ Plan, between the three Rivers Heritage Trail on the North Side to Riverview Park along McClure Avenue and Woods Run Avenue. The project will include speed tables, improved pedestrian crossings, shared-lane pavement markings (sharrows), wayfinding signage and other quick-build safety improvements along the corridor, including a street mural in front of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Woods Run.
The only bike lane included on this project scope is an extension of the one-way bike climbing lane, currently starting at the intersection of Mairdale Avenue and Oakdale Street. The extension will only affect the East curb in the uphill direction on Woods Run Avenue for 0.3 miles to the curve in the road, but will aid cyclists climbing the hill into Riverview Park.
DOMI’s traffic data collection and crash reports demonstrate a need for traffic calming along both McClure Avenue and Woods Run Avenue. There have been 42 reported crashes and two pedestrian crashes in the last five years, indicating a need for safety improvements.
Data collection on the corridor showed an 85th percentile speeds over 40 mph on Woods Run Avenue with a minimum of 60% of all drivers speeding throughout the corridor. This data informed the proposed design, which will feature speed tables (similar to speed humps except thicker and easier for emergency responders and large vehicles to maneuver over), as well as pedestrian crossing improvements including bump outs or pedestrian refuge islands.
Phase 1 Construction Press Release 8/31/2023
View the press release here.
Help Design the Woods Run Street Mural
The city's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), Bike Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Woods Run Library are collaborating to develop a street mural in front of the library to support traffic calming in this corridor.
Bike Pittsburgh is hosting meetings on October 21, November 9, and December 2 at CLP Woods Run (1201 Woods Run Avenue) to gather ideas for the mural. All ages are welcome, snacks will be provided.
Artist Ashley Kyber and CAPA students will guide attendees through brainstorming ideas. This iterative process will yield a design to be painted as a welcome mat to the library. Attendees will also have a chance to see concepts and vote on their favorite ideas throughout the process.
Street mural art has emerged as an effective way to help calm traffic and to create vibrant places on top of large areas of asphalt. A street mural not only adds useful public art to an area, it also helps cool the ground temperatures preventing the black asphalt from absorbing all that sun. There are two other street murals in Pittsburgh that have been used for this purpose. The first one was installed in Friendship at a confusing intersection, while the most recent install was in Bloomfield in locations around Friendship Park.
Project Location

Project extents highlighted in light blue.
Proposed Project Design
Corridor Crash History 2018-2022

Reported crashes 2018-2022 visualized by a car, bike, or pedestrian symbol. The severity of the crash is colored coded from low(green) to high(orange).
Examples of Safety Improvements

Example of a pedestrian refuge island on the Ellsworth Neighborway in Shadyside. This treatment slows motor vehicles through the crossing and shortens the crossing distance for the pedestrian.

Speed tables and shoulder lane lines will calm traffic and clarify parking. This example photo is also from the Ellsworth Neighborway.