A new initiative connects Pittsburgh leaders and its neighborhoods

A city known for steep hills and hundreds of bridges might not strike you as a place where bicycling can flourish. But Pittsburgh has spent eight years investing in its bicycle network, ramping up significantly since 2020. 

Working with local nonprofit partners, BikePGH and Healthy Ride, the City’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) installed 50 miles of new bike-friendly connections throughout Pittsburgh in only two years. They are just getting started.

Adopted in 2020, the Bike(+) Plan established a vision for a safe and connected network of on-street bike lanes and off-street paths for bicycles and other low-speed mobility devices like electric scooters. This bold plan will connect every Pittsburgh neighborhood while increasing safety and access, expand affordable travel choices, and provide attractive alternatives to driving.

The plan lays out a vision that will enable people of all ages and abilities to travel by bicycle and other small mobility devices to access the needs of daily life including grocery stores, parks, schools and places of employment. The plan is a critical step in meeting the City’s climate goals, reduce transportation-related emissions 50% by 2030, and expand affordable access to jobs and destinations.

At the time of the plan’s release, Pittsburgh counted more than 90 miles of bikeways throughout the city, but the network was disconnected and incomplete. Less than half of Pittsburgh’s population lived within close proximity of a bike lane, and many important routes required a person riding a bike to share the road with fast-moving vehicles in heavy traffic for at least a portion of the trip. 

Hindered by state laws that prevented the design of parking protected bike lanes, and growing opposition from suburban commuters against former Mayor Bill Peduto, city officials knew they needed a new engagement strategy if they were going to accelerate implementation of the planned network. 

Accelerating the pace of project development was the goal.

Bicycling advocates from around the country will know the history and legacy of BikePGH, a 20 year old stalwart of local mobility advocacy. Today, its models of advocacy are replicated in communities across the U.S., and its leadership is well known for long-term strategies that have built movements across Pittsburgh’s diverse neighborhoods. 

Newer to the Pittsburgh community, bike share operator Healthy Ride made a name for itself as a trusted local partner since its launch in 2015. With more than 500 bicycles available for public rental throughout the city, Healthy Ride’s dedication to creating an inclusive, equitable bike share program had made its operations and program a national model. Locally, their leadership team became reliable partners in authentic community engagement and neighborhood-based outreach activities. 

BikePGH and Healthy Ride supported the city’s development of the Bike(+) Plan, and both organizations were in frequent contact with city officials to support infrastructure projects and policies that would encourage biking. However, their involvement lacked a formal structure that delayed the sharing of information about what was happening inside City Hall. This insufficient coordination made it difficult to get ahead of opposition and forced advocates into positions as agitators instead of partners. 

Leaders from DOMI sought to change this dynamic, knowing they would need to engage every supporter, every organization, and every advocate to meet their aggressive implementation goals. Rather than keep advocates outside the official communications channels for project development, DOMI developed a new model of partnership titled Move Forward PGH.

Move Forward PGH changed the definition of what it meant to engage Pittsburgh’s residents and neighborhoods, and created a space where BikePGH and Healthy Ride would sit alongside project planners and engineers and be part of the team leading the network’s rapid implementation. 

Supported by a media campaign that tapped into the city’s popular support for bicycling and safe mobility options, Move Forward PGH used social media, online videos, and outdoor advertising to showcase the community benefits of proposed projects. 

Simultaneously, BikePGH and Healthy Ride led neighborhood-level activities like door-to-door canvassing and distributing yard signs, posters, and postcards in neighborhoods where projects were proposed. Healthy Ride also built new capacity for its ambassadors program, compensating neighborhood residents for time spent promoting and encouraging participation in the city’s public meetings. 

Through the partnership, advocates for safe and improved streets took on a new identity, more representative of the people of Pittsburgh. Rather than positioning bicycling improvements against other neighborhood priorities, Move Forward PGH leaders were able to speak authentically about the ways that mobility improvements from the Bike(+) Plan would be a benefit for everyone, regardless of their mode choice. .

“These new bike facilities give the people of our city the opportunity to safely access major employment and cultural areas with the affordable, sustainable and enjoyable mode of travel by bicycle,” said former DOMI Director Karina Ricks.  

Leaders of Move Forward PGH benefitted in new ways too. Rather than act as an outside influence, BikePGH and Healthy Ride leaders got a seat at the table, becoming the facilitators of public outreach on behalf of the city. 

And by embracing the role community-based organizations can offer to project development, DOMI officials were able to get ahead of potential problems and lean into the expertise offered by Pittsburgh’s most knowledgeable mobility advocates. 

Bolstered by a wave of support, Move Forward PGH accelerated project completion by eight times the pace experienced the previous five years. And while the pandemic made person-to-person engagement more difficult, the partnership adapted to new methods of reaching people and engaged thousands of Pittsburgh residents along the way.

Now, with a newly elected mayor, Pittsburgh continues to move forward.

This year, under the leadership of Mayor Ed Gainey, city leaders plan continued construction of the Bike(+) Plan’s envisioned network, hoping to complete nearly half of the total network in just three years.

The successful partnership between BikePGH, Healthy Ride, and city officials proves that everyone has a part to play in project development. Advocates can be more than just a special interest group for bicycling. They offer on-the-ground knowledge, expertise, and authentic relationships with community residents and organizations that give viability to the city’s projects. 

And, by creating authentic partnerships built on trust and accountability, city officials can gain new capacity for community engagement they would never be able to achieve on their own. For DOMI, the ability to rely on advocates was key to each project’s success, and instrumental in developing true community support. 

Is your city ready to be the next Pittsburgh? Our work is built on partnerships. Let’s get to know each other, your community, and your goals. Get in touch with us today.