Bike Pittsburgh

Launch Party, Thursday October 16th

When we first laid our eyes on the 2008 Pittsburgh Bike Map, designed with the help of deepLocal, we thought that we created the best bike map of any city in existence, and couldn’t possibly improve it. While we still think we have the best bike map ever, we did make some changes for the 2009 version.

After a year of getting comments from cyclists like you, we made some changes to make it even more handy for us. The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s a bit smaller. We found that four panels tall was a bit much, especially when you are trying to look at it with some wind blowing. Shrinking it also makes it easier to fold. The next thing that you’ll notice is that the green “on-street bike routes” have been changed to blue. We got a comment that people with red-green color blindness, the most common type, had trouble reading the map. The green became gray, and gray on our map means “highway (cars only).” We also think the blue stands out a bit more and looks sharp to boot.

We were also able to zoom out on the city so that we now include ways to get to outlying communities such as Braddock, Neville Island, Crafton, Wilkinsburg, etc. Some other major additions include High Schools, shopping areas, and descriptions for crossing major bridges. We’ve also incorporated transit into this version, providing the T stops where you can board with your bike and East Busway stops, as well as the Greyhound and Amtrak stations.

Also available shortly will be the Premium Pittsburgh Bike Map that is printed on a rip-proof, waterproof paper. These will be for sale on our website as well as in some bike shops. Stay tuned!

Don’t worry, favorite features like the cycling cartoon, landmarks, and information bubbles are still there. We just updated the design so that they don’t cover important streets anymore.

Oh yeah, and we now spell “cemetery” correctly.

As usual, we like to celebrate!
Join us at the launch party and be the first to get a copy of the new map!

What: Bike Pittsburgh 2009 Map Launch Party
Music, food, art and good company.
We’ll provide snacks and beer from the East End Brewing Company (the official beer of Bike PGH)
Where: deepLocal’s Office in East Liberty: 6101 Penn Ave suite 602 (sixth floor), corner of Penn Ave and Sheridan Ave
When: Thursday, October 16, 2008 7pm-10pm (we’ll be going to Kelly’s afterward to hang out)

We also need some volunteers for a Map Packing Party!

We need volunteers to come in and help us stuff the new maps with a membership forms.

If you are interested in helping out, please email erokore@bike-pgh.org and show up on Tuesday, October 14th from 5-8 for a map packing party!

Since we’re providing some snacks, pizza, and drinks, please RSVP so we know how much pizza to order (although if you don’t RSVP, it’s not the end of the world).

Map packing will be held at the Bike Pittsburgh office in the South Side.
33 Terminal Way, in the Riverwalk Corporate Center 3rd Floor, off of Carson St, one block west of Fourth. The South Side Trail goes right to the building.

Volunteers in Bike Pittsburgh Blue staffed the Bicycle Valet Station at the Bob Dylan Concert, Aug ‘08
In order to better manage our volunteers and get people involved, we’ve created this handy dandy Volunteer Application. It should only take about a minute to fill out, and it’s the first step in getting involved in changing this city.

When you volunteer at Bike Pittsburgh you don’t just volunteer, you join a community of individuals passionate about making Pittsburgh one of the world’s bike-friendliest cities. In fact Bike Pittsburgh volunteers are such a dedicated and enthusiastic bunch that the word “volunteer” doesn’t quite cut the mustard. It’s also a great way to meet other local cyclists.

Tell Us About Yourself

To get started, please fill out this quick survey so that we can add your name to our volunteer database. Filling this out doesn’t mean that you are signing yourself up anything in particular, you’re just adding your name to a pool of potential volunteers. When things come up, look our for a request from us. It’s that simple.

You’ll have lots of opportunity to get involved and even learn new skills. This is the best way to get yourself involved, and the best way for us to utilize all of the connections and skills in the city!

Thanks in advance!

For more on volunteering, Click here.

The PennDOT Smart Transportation website may not be very specific on what they mean by “smart transportation,” but the cover of the handbook says it all “Planning and Designing Highways and Streets that Support Sustainable and Livable Communities.”

Taking a closer look they have chapters on bike facilities, pedestrian facilities, public transportation, and traffic calming. We’re not sure if this has teeth or if it’s just another publication that will collect dust on the engineers’ bookshelves, but we’ll remain optimistic for the time-being. PennDOT is doing an extensive training program on smart transportation throughout all of its districts. We’ll report more on this as we learn more about the program.

In the meantime download the guide here.

Friday, October 03, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and Kennywood/Sandcastle President Peter J. McAneny today announced they have made “significant progress” to accommodate the Great Allegheny Passage biking and hiking trail on Sandcastle property. Read more of this good news»

After seven long years, the bicycle commuter tax provision has finally passed both the House and Senate as part of the financial bailout package. President Bush has said that he is eager to sign the legislation. “We are delighted that the bicycle commuter benefits act has passed after a lengthy and persistent campaign spearheaded by Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR),” said League President Andy Clarke. “Bicycle commuters will now be extended similar benefits to people who take transit and drive to work – it’s an equitable and sensible incentive to encourage greater energy independence, improve air quality and health, and even help tackle climate change. Thanks to everyone who has helped reach this milestone, especially Walter Finch and Mele Williams, our government relations staff over the years who have worked tirelessly with Congressman Blumenauer, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and many others in Congress.” Thanks also to all of you around the country who have contacted your congressional leaders over the years. Keep checking back at http://www.bikeleague.org as we work on the implementation process. Keep checking the League of American Bicyclists‘ website as they work on the implementation process.

Section 211 of the Senate Bailout bill states:

pension protection act, ppa, senate, bailout, HR 1424, bicycle commuting, qualified transportation, 132(f), ERISA

By Jason Cato
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, September 29, 2008

Indoctrination into the cut-throat bicycle messenger world, where time is money and money comes per delivery, can be daunting.

Lindsey Welsh lucked out, and she knows why.

“I’m the new kid on the block,” said Welsh, 29, of the South Side, who six months ago became the only full-time female bicycle messenger in Pittsburgh. “I get treated very well, because I’m the only girl. I didn’t get the normal rookie treatment; they had to be nice to me.”

About 15 riders work full time for Pittsburgh’s four bicycle messenger companies: Steel City Delivery, where Welsh works, Jet Messenger, Quick Messenger and Stat Courier.

Brad Quartuccio, editor of Bloomfield-based cycling magazine Urban Velo, said Pittsburgh’s messenger scene is like those in most other cities.

“Messengering has always been a male-dominated thing,” said Quartuccio, 27. “It’s a boys’ club that tends to be jockish.”

Although he said Pittsburgh’s industry is more mellow than some other cities, he said Welsh definitely has the moxie, work ethic and congeniality to hold her own with the guys.

“She gets up in the mornings and rides,” Quartuccio said. “That’s the No. 1 part of being a messenger — you go do your job. She earns respect by being reliable and doing her job well.”

Plus, Welsh is as competitive as they come, he said. “She’ll throw elbows.”

Read the rest of the article

I (Scott) just got a call today from the Port Authority stating that in the last couple of weeks bus drivers have reported cyclists starting to walk their bikes out in front of buses at stops before the bus has completely stopped. This is a good way to get run over. Tip 1: waive a bus down and then wait for it to come to a full stop. Make contact with the driver and tell him or her you will be loading your bike before stepping in front of the bus to lower the rack.

We were also told that cyclists are not alerting drivers that their bikes are on the front of the bus. Tip 2: before exiting the bus tell the driver that you have to get your bike. That will tell the driver not to drive away with your bike on the front or worse, start driving away while you take your bike off the front rack.

What does Pittsburgh need to do to become a bike-friendly city? Here’s your chance to find out as Steve Patchan, the new bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for Pittsburgh shares the spotlight with Scott Bricker, director of Bike Pittsburgh and Amy Garbark, USA cycling official and program coordinator for the MGR Foundation who is implementing Pittsburgh’s premiere urban cycling program for high school students.

The discussion will include the audience and will be moderated by Matt Stroud, writer and cyclist who just completed a cross-country bike trip from Boston to San Francisco.

Come with questions, problems, solutions and join the discussion. We want to hear from you!

<a href=”mailto:rsvp@popcitymedia.com”>rsvp@popcitymedia.com</a>

When: Thursday October 23rd, 6 p.m.
Where: Shadow Lounge, E. Liberty (Highland and Baum)
What: A Forum
Why: To make Pittsburgh a better place to live, work and play!

The event is free but space is limited so please respond soon.

By: Joann Cantrell, Pop City Media

Mike Edwards of Pittsburgh Downtown Partnerships is an old hand at commuting by bicycle and he does it year round. Last year on his way from Mt. Lebanon to his office downtown, he saw a sign at an intersection on Rt. 51 he passes daily. It could have been for him, he says, or one of the crew of regulars who ride that way daily. The sign read, simply and admiringly, “You Rock, Bike Guy!”

It could be a sign, in another sense of the word, that things are looking up for bike riders in the region.

High gas prices this summer and an increasing awareness of the environment have helped to create a surge in bicycle commuting across the country and biking through scenic Pittsburgh is evolving into a mainstream mode of transportation. That, and the addition of a new bike safety director (see recent Pop Story here) not to mention more bikers on the road, are more encouraging signs.

Remember: for every biker you see, that’s one less car on the road. Read more»

Bike commuting rises 37.5 percent in Pittsburgh from 2006 to 2007

The results from the US Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey was just released on September 23rd, and we’ve taken a liking to looking at America’s commuting trends.

Last year, we published the results of the 60 largest cities in the States, and how their residents get to work.

In 2006, Pittsburgh ranked in the top 15 cities in the country for number of city residents that commute by bike with .8 percent. This year, even more people decided to commute on two wheels, increasing our percentage to 1.1, putting us in the top 11 cities, tied with Chicago and Honolulu.

For walking to work, we remained in second place next to Boston with an impressive 12% of us using our own feet.

Hopefully, with the addition of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator in the Planning Department, these numbers will continue to rise. Combined with gas prices, it will be interesting to see what the numbers are for 2008. Considering how inexpensive bike and ped improvements are compared to say highway projects (think Mon-Fay), we hope that even more resources will be dedicated to helping Pittsburghers get around by their own power. Fortunately, we see the city recognizing that this is the cheapest way to transport people, so we’re heading in that direction.

Sadly, the numbers show a decrease in transit usage from last year.

Some other interesting things (at least we think they are)

• Approximately 1 in 3 Pittsburghers get to work without a personal vehicle
• Approximately 1 in 8 Pittsburgh workers have no car available
• We are in the top ten in least number of people transporting themselves in single occupancy vehicles
• We are also in the top ten in number of people using transit

You can toggle between the different categories at the bottom of the chart. Simply click to sort.

Friday, September 26, 2008
By Lawrence Walsh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

During one of their initial bicycle rides on the C&O Canal Towpath in Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s, John Surma and his wife, Becky, asked a fellow cyclist how far the trail went.

The man said it went at least as far as Great Falls, Va., and added:

“Some day, they say it’s going to go all the way to Pittsburgh.” Read more»

Thursday, September 25, 2008
By Moriah Balingit, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Traversing the Monongahela River via the busy McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge on a bicycle is difficult even for experienced riders. For novice cyclists, it is frightening and dangerous.

But pedestrians and cyclists soon will have a bridge of their own running parallel to the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, which has narrow shoulders and no sidewalk.

Today, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and U.S. Steel Chief Executive Officer John Surma will mark the ceremonial opening of the Riverton Bridge. Donated by U.S. Steel, the former railroad span will be retrofitted for non-motorized traffic.

Scott Bricker, co-founder of the bike advocacy group Bike Pittsburgh, said cyclists take longer routes through Braddock to avoid traffic in and around McKeesport. Some cyclists have said the path through McKeesport is the most difficult and dangerous part of the 150-mile journey from western Maryland

Read the full article here»

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By Matt Stroud
September 24, 2008

Committed to making Pittsburgh bike friendly, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl recently appointed a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Stephen Patchan, to oversee safety issues within city limits. Patchan, a native of Connellsville, just moved from the South Side to Friendship, and has a master’s degree in Comprehensive Planning from California University of Pennsylvania. He is 6′5, rides a Trek 7.3 FX, and has been on the job since August 11.

Matt Stroud, who biked from Boston to San Francisco this past summer, sat down with Patchan to get acquainted. One result of their conversation? The first bike symposium featuring Patchan, on October 20th at Oliver Twist. Hold the date and look for more details soon in Pop City. Read the interview here»