Review the Downtown Mobility Plan, A People-First Strategy for the Golden Triangle’s Future

This week, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership released the Downtown Mobility Plan, a multi-year effort to develop a people-first strategy for the Golden Triangle’s future.

Led by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the Plan was developed in collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh’s Departments of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) and City Planning, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, to establish a vision and a decision-making framework for Downtown’s transportation and public realm priorities for the next decade and beyond.

The Plan was created through rigorous research and analysis with robust engagement between the public and various Downtown stakeholders, including 90+ organizations represented on the Downtown Advisory Group and Equity Working Group and over 1800 responses through online and in-person surveys. It is the first major neighborhood plan for Downtown Pittsburgh created since 1999.

“Downtown Pittsburgh serves as the economic and entertainment heart of western Pennsylvania, with millions of residents, employees, students, and visitors experiencing the Golden Triangle’s historic architecture, cultural assets, and natural beauty, every year,” said Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “To reinforce Downtown’s important regional role, it is critical that we use this period of transformation to invest in more walkable and vibrant streets, and enhance public spaces that reflect a full commitment to a dynamic and diverse future.”

Five Guiding Principles were determined during the planning process to represent the vision and values of the Downtown experience: Welcoming and Vibrant, People-First and Transit-Prioritized, Intuitive and Responsive, Equitable and Affordable, and Healthy and Sustainable. The Plan also recommends nine high impact priorities that aspire to deliver on the Guiding Principles and are showcased on the new site, including:

Streets that work 24/7: Deliver a more intuitive, responsive street network
A better bus experience: Increase priority bus access and infrastructure along key transit corridors
Sidewalks for all: Make sidewalks and streetscapes safer, more attractive, and accessible for everyone
(Re)Connecting Downtown: Restore community between greater Downtown and its closest neighborhoods
Biking made easy: Ensure a safe and comfortable ride throughout Downtown
Power to the bus rider: Make service and fares fairer
A river city that flows: Make the riverfronts more accessible, walkable, and connected
Smithfield reimagined: Transform Smithfield Street into a vibrant, central hub
Navigating with ease: Make it easier to get around Downtown

“Now more than ever, it’s crucial to have a Plan with focused priorities and leaders that will shepherd it through implementation,” said Chris Watts, Vice President of Mobility for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “A mobility plan is more than streets, cars, buses, and bikes — it is really about the people who rely on them. We need their input for these projects to succeed.”

To learn more information about the Downtown Mobility Plan and provide feedback, visit DowntownMobilityPlan.org