The Project
The Shadyside-Squirell Hill Network of projects involve a series of streets that could see a number of improvements to create less stressful biking and walking connectivity within and through the neighborhoods, mostly in and around Oakland, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill.
These neighborhoods sit at the crossroads of several destinations, yet there remain significant barriers to safe walking and biking. Improvements along this cluster of streets, identified in the City’s Bike(+) Plan, will help address these issues.
Please see the following list of proposed improvements for more details:
The Aiken Ave Bike Facilities are part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill network of projects, and seeks to add bike facilities on Aiken Ave, between Baum Blvd and Ellsworth Ave. Essentially, these improvements will be extending Bloomfield’s Liberty Ave bike lanes, across the bridge and linking them to Shadyside. The improvements have been identified in the City’s 2020 Bike(+) Plan.
These improvements will better connect the existing bike lanes on Liberty Ave and the popular bicycle corridor on Ellsworth Ave.
DOMI intends to reorganize the existing street layout to make sure a two-lane configuration is consistent throughout the corridor, while adding bike lanes and turning lanes.
The project will improve the overall connectivity and clarity in the Bloomfield/Shadyside bicycle network, and make it easier for people riding bikes, driving, or walking to navigate the streets and around each other. There are a significant number of crashes on this stretch of road that the project aims to mitigate.
Additionally, the route will improve access to destinations such as UPMC Shadyside Hospital, Grocery Stores (Aldi and Market District), Post Office, business districts (Liberty, Centre, Ellsworth, Walnut), and Morrow Park.
Through key improvements, based on engineering best practices and community feedback, DOMI hopes to achieve safer, more comfortable streets for all users.
The Beacon St Bike Lanes are part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill network of projects, and seeks to add bike facilities on Beacon St, between Wightman St and Shady Ave. The improvements have been identified in the City’s 2020 Bike(+) Plan.
The project will extend the existing Beacon St bike lanes and connect to the Wightman St bike lanes.
The project will improve the overall connectivity and clarity in the Squirrel Hill bicycle network, and make it easier for people riding bikes, driving, or walking to navigate the streets and around each other. There are a significant number of crashes on this stretch of road that the project aims to mitigate and improve for all users.
Additionally, the route will improve access to destinations such as Schenley and Frick Parks, Giant Eagle, Murray Ave business district, Taylor Allderdice High School, and the Beechwood Blvd bike lanes.
Through key improvements, based on engineering best practices and community feedback, DOMI hopes to achieve safer, more comfortable streets for all users.
Project Factsheet (search for project)
The Beacon St protected bike lane upgrades are part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill network of projects, and seeks to add bike facilities on Beacon St, between Wightman St and Schenley Park. The improvements have been identified in the City’s 2020 Bike(+) Plan.
The project will improve the existing Beacon St bike lanes and connect to the Wightman St bike lanes.
The project will improve the overall connectivity and clarity in the Squirrel Hill bicycle network, and make it easier for people riding bikes, driving, or walking to navigate the streets and around each other. There are a significant number of crashes on this stretch of road that the project aims to mitigate and improve for all users.
Additionally, the route will improve access to destinations such as Giant Eagle, Murray Ave business district, Taylor Allderdice High School, and ultimately the Beechwood Blvd bike lanes.
Through key improvements, based on engineering best practices and community feedback, DOMI hopes to achieve safer, more comfortable streets for all users.
The Shadyside Corridor has long been an important route and connector for people on bikes, ranking high in the city’s annual bike count. Sandwiched between the heavily car oriented Fifth Ave and the Baum/Centre corridor, it provides one of the better bicycling options for an east-west connection between Oakland and points east. It is part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill Network of projects.
However, Ellsworth itself, while the most direct, intuitive and ridden, is narrow, with sporadic parking patterns that force bikes into and out of traffic, creating a chaotic and sometimes dangerous environment for all users of the roadway. Other alternatives, such as Howe, Kentucky, or Elmer are not as direct, contain lots of one-way streets that make the route confusing, and most importantly, do not connect to Neville St – the primary route to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system that leads to the South Side and Downtown.
Originally identified as a “high need” improvement in the 1999 Bike Plan, the City’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) has been looking at this corridor for decades to see how to make it safer and accommodate more people. A few years ago, residents were not able to reach a consensus on some proposed Complete Street designs to create a corridor that accommodates all users, increases access and most importantly, improves public safety.
There is now an initiative, MoveForwardPGH, that aims to accelerate the goals and vision of the recently published 2020 Bike(+) Plan, and improve the corridor. Building not only on years of research regarding Ellsworth Avenue by the city, but also in response to a recent severe crash and increased use of the corridor by all residents due to COVID-19. DOMI is planning to revisit this corridor, starting with a fresh planning process beginning with the creation of an advisory committee to ensure the community is involved from the very beginning in creating design solutions.
The Schenley Meadow Trail are part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill network of projects, and will connect existing facilities on Beacon St to Schenley Park, improving connectivity throughout Squirrel Hill and to Oakland and Greenfield. The improvements have been identified in the City’s 2020 Bike(+) Plan.
The project will improve the overall connectivity and clarity in the Squirrel Hill bicycle network, and make it easier for people riding bikes, driving, or walking to navigate the streets and around each other. There are a significant number of crashes on this stretch of road that the project aims to mitigate and improve for all users.
Additionally, the route will improve access to destinations such as Schenley Park, the Greenfield Bridge, Oakland, and other locations.
Through key improvements, based on engineering best practices and community feedback, DOMI hopes to achieve safer, more comfortable streets for all users.
The Wightman Street Bike Lane upgrade is part of the overall Shadyside-Squirrel Hill network of projects, and seeks to enhance and improve the existing bike lanes on Wightman St, between Forbes Ave and Beacon St. The improvements have been identified in the City’s 2020 Bike(+) Plan.
The project will improve the overall connectivity and clarity in the Squirrel Hill bicycle network, and make it easier for people riding bikes, driving, or walking to navigate the streets and around each other. Enhancements will likely include better pavement markings and other features intended to calm traffic. This facility will connect the existing bike lanes on Beacon St to the bike route on Forbes Ave. Over the past five years, there have been a significant number of crashes on this stretch of road (22 with 10 injuries) that the project aims to mitigate and improve for all users.
Additionally, the route will improve access to destinations such as the Squirrel Hill business district, the Jewish Community Center, Schenley Park, the Bob O’Connor Golf Course,Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden, Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Universities.
Through key improvements, based on engineering best practices and community feedback, DOMI hopes to achieve safer, more comfortable streets for all users.
