POGOH, Pittsburgh's bikeshare, is expanding and planning to move beyond the city's borders for the first time.

Why it matters: Bikeshare use has grown in many cities across the country, as people look for more non-car options amid rising gas prices.

Driving the news: Allegheny County was awarded $1.5 million in federal transit money this week that will help POGOH expand into adjacent suburbs.

What they're saying: POGOH director David White tells Axios the expansion is responding to increased demand the agency has seen since it started offering electric-assist bikes in 2022.

• About 569,000 rides were logged last year, the most since the bikeshare launched in 2015, according to POGOH data.
• White expects about 700,000 rides this year.
• "The reality of moving around in our region requires us to cross these borders," he said.

Zoom in: Millvale and Wilkinsburg have expressed interest in getting POGOH stations, according to White.

• Edgewood, Swissvale and Braddock are also targets, says White.
• The agency also wants to expand to The Waterfront because users regularly ride along the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail, only to realize that stations aren't there, he said.

Yes, but: Expanding there might be complicated, since the entertainment district covers three municipal governments: West Homestead, Homestead, and Munhall, White said.

By the numbers: White says POGOH wants to add 17 suburban stations.

• That's on top of 40 additional stations coming to city neighborhoods — including first-time expansions into Squirrel Hill and South Side Slopes — that are expected to be completed by early 2027, White said.

Context: POGOH has 60 stations across the city.

• Between 65% and 70% of its fleet is electric-assist, which will be maintained through the expansions.

What's next: Expansion out of the city is still in the early stages and there isn't a target date yet.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro has unveiled new safeguards on data center development.

Why it matters: Shapiro is looking for safe political ground in the increasingly treacherous landscape around AI and data centers.

• Shapiro is widely considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful and is running for re-election this year.

Driving the news: Shapiro on Wednesday released his Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards.

The big picture: He's urging the state Legislature to ensure that tax breaks can only flow to data center developers that meet requirements around:

• Providing and paying for energy without burdening other ratepayers, similar to the Homer City power plant and data center project.
• Community notification and disclosure on energy and water use and project size.
• Labor rules, environmental protection, and offering community benefit packages.

Zoom in: It lays out lots of specific requirements for projects.

• They include escalating mandates to source clean energy, reaching 32% by 2035; funding needed grid upgrades; creating at least 200 prevailing wage construction jobs; pollution standards for backup generators; and more.

The bottom line: Potential Democratic 2028 hopefuls like Shapiro are staking out turf on the topic.

• A number of them mirror Shapiro — demanding safeguards around energy costs but not rejecting development outright.
• But Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has floated, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, a nationwide moratorium until Congress passes sweeping AI legislation.

🧊 Three people, including a Central Diner manager in Robinson, were taken into custody Monday during an ICE operation after a driver fled a traffic stop and ran into the restaurant.

• ICE said the manager, a U.S. citizen, denied agents entry, and the confrontation escalated — leading to the arrest. (TribLive / KDKA)

☕ The Abbey on Butler Street filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last Friday to reorganize its finances. The Lawrenceville restaurant plans to stay open. (Business Times)

🦅 Bird lovers can meet Dariéna, a rare harpy eagle who just arrived at the National Aviary for its "Remarkable Raptors" show this summer. (National Aviary)

A real estate development company working to widen paths to homeownership is moving into Southwestern Pennsylvania with the help of a $250,000 philanthropic boost.

The big picture: The Richard King Mellon Foundation investment will help Toledo-based LadderUp Housing expand into Allegheny and Westmoreland counties — supporting its work to help low- to moderate-income families buy homes.

How it works: LadderUp Housing buys, renovates, and builds single-family homes in affordable markets with aging housing stock, then rents them to families working toward homeownership.

• LadderUp partners with nonprofit financial coaches to help renters improve credit, build savings, and prepare to qualify for a mortgage.
• Mortgage-ready tenants can buy the homes often at or below the original appraised value.

By the numbers: The company has acquired nearly 90 homes and renovated more than 65 housing units across the four markets it serves, primarily in Ohio.

• LadderUp says residents in the program have improved their credit scores by an average of 75 points.

Between the lines: The share of first-time buyers in the U.S. has fallen to a record low amid inventory and affordability issues, per the National Association of Realtors.

• It took the typical U.S. household nearly seven years to save for a median home down payment in 2025, per Realtor.com. That number is 6.4 years in Pittsburgh.

Go deeper

Can you find our favorite pierogi?

The intrigue: Nebby found another unheralded city landmark.

A clue: Its nickname is mentioned many times in a piece of popular Pittsburgh literature.

Do you know where Nebby is? Hit reply to this email with your guess!

• Extra points if you know its real name.