Help pick Pittsburgh's worst sidewalk
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Pittsburgh is a fairly good city for pedestrians, but there are still plenty of sidewalk stretches that make navigating on foot treacherous.
Why it matters: Many of the city's sidewalks surveyed by volunteers are in poor condition, according to Safe Sidewalks Crew, a partnership between BikePGH, Access Mob Pittsburgh and the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.
- The city is tracking all the sidewalk faults and issues and is seeking feedback from residents.
What they're saying: "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," said BikePGH spokesperson Julie Walsh.
By the numbers: There are over 1,300 miles of sidewalks in the city, according to BikePGH.
- Over 3,000 sidewalk blocks — one side of a street between two cross streets — have been surveyed.
- BikePGH has trained 180 Safe Sidewalks Crew volunteers.
Between the lines: Pedestrian deaths rose nationally between 2008 and 2023, according to data collected by the Governor's Highway Safety Association, but regions that have worked on improving sidewalks and road conditions like Pittsburgh have seen declines.
- The sidewalk along One Wild Place was in poor shape for years, but was recently rehabbed.
- Irvine Street in Hazelwood lacked a sidewalk for parts of its stretch, but the city filled the gaps a few years ago.
Zoom in: We want to know what you think Pittsburgh's worst sidewalks are.
- We picked eight stretches that lack concrete sidewalks, offer no buffer from traffic or force users to cross the street.
- Voting ends Friday at 2pm.
Caveat: Some terrible sidewalks weren't included on our list because they pop up and end so often they're virtually impossible to use, like McKnight Road in the North Hills and William Penn Highway in Monroeville.
What's next: Safe Sidewalks Crew's goal is to survey 20,000 sidewalk blocks, which the group believes will cover about 65% of the city's total sidewalks.