Hundreds of Miles of New Bike Lanes Coming to Pittsburgh

Checking in with the Bike(+) Plan in Pittsburgh.

1 minute read

April 23, 2021, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

City of Pittsburgh / Bike(+) Plan

"It is Earth Week and Pittsburgh is in the midst of a battle over asphalt," writes John Shumway. "Drivers want every inch they can get while the city is trying to make bicycle riders safer."

According to the article, the city of Pittsburgh is making progress on a plan that would bring the city's total of bike lanes above 250 miles. The city last year added 13 miles of bike facilities to an existing 60 miles, according to Karina Ricks, the director of mobility and infrastructure for the city, who is cited throughout the article touting the benefits of bike infrastructure.

According to Ricks, the city is preparing to add new bike lanes on Fifth Avenue, in an existing bus only lane, and on Forbes Avenue uptown. The city also recently added its first Bicycle Traffic Signal at the intersection of Penn and Stanwix.

Despite the "batle" framing in the lede, no anti-bike-lane backlash is described in the article. Ricks does discuss, however, the importance of bike lanes for post-pandemic mobility—expecting congestion to increase as more people buy more cars and stay away from public transit. 

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 in KDKA2

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic Place Names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

7 hours ago - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight