Developing a Downtown Mobility Plan for All

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announced that efforts are underway to develop a Downtown Pittsburgh Mobility Plan designed to make it easier to navigate for everyone who works, lives, and visits the Golden Triangle. Funded by a $1 million grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, the Mobility Plan will identify and prioritize opportunities to improve the Downtown experience for all, especially during heavy travel times.

Starting this week, the public will be able to share their experiences about getting around Downtown through an online survey and in-person at various locations. In addition to the preliminary survey, a series of public workshops, surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder committees will be convened in early 2020 with the study wrapping up in the summer. The survey and more details about the Mobility Plan can be found at DowntownPittsburgh.com/MobilityPlan, and those interested can sign up for email updates.

“Downtown Pittsburgh continues to be a place people want to be and a neighborhood that is vital to the City and the region,” said Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “Those that live, work, and visit Downtown care about issues like safety, accessibility, transit, parking, and congestion. This comprehensive Mobility Plan will enable us to identify the challenges and ways to address them, improving the Downtown experience for all.”

“Physical mobility significantly determines chances for upward mobility,” said City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure Director Karina Ricks. “The City of Pittsburgh is developing a 2070 Vision Plan to improve connectivity and opportunity and the Downtown Mobility Plan will inform immediate steps we can take towards a city that is safe and accessible for all.”

The Mobility Plan will build on lessons learned from Envision Downtown, an initiative launched in 2015 by Mayor William Peduto and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to pilot mobility improvement projects aimed at preparing the city for the significant revitalization that’s occurring as a result of more than $5.2 billion in real estate and transportation investment over the last decade.

The evolution of Downtown will continue to impact how people get around and experience the neighborhood with an additional $3.8 billion in investments currently in the pipeline. The Mobility Plan will identify ways to improve the pedestrian, transit, biking, vehicle, and delivery experience while prioritizing future projects to ensure Downtown continues to be a thriving and vibrant economic, cultural, transportation hub of our region.

“As the epicenter of our region, Downtown Pittsburgh plays an important role in our transit system and is vital to ensuring our customers get to where they need to go” said Katharine Kelleman, CEO of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. “As we begin our long-range planning process, we’re excited to use the Downtown Pittsburgh Mobility Plan to help improve service for riders of today and tomorrow.”

The Mobility Plan is guided by a management team comprised of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the City of Pittsburgh’s Departments of Mobility and Infrastructure and City Planning, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, and the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission. A team of consultants led by Arup, a global leader in urban design and mobility
planning, and supported by Utile, Nelson\Nygaard, SmithGroup, and MonWin Consulting, will help steer the plan over the next year.

“A safe, well maintained, world-class transportation system that provides mobility for all is critical to the long term success of our communities and the Southwestern Pennsylvania region as a whole,” said Andy Waple, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Director of Transportation Planning. “Through broad collaboration, the Mobility Pan will enable Downtown Pittsburgh to address safety and mobility needs and will position us to make the smart moves needed to meet the demands of our changing region.”

The support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation is in service to their mission to inspire, invest in, and leverage great ideas and initiatives for outcomes that improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.