The pandemic drove public board and commission meetings online. As COVID-19 fears wane for many, there’s little consistency regarding citizen access to information and deliberations.

Eric Boerer estimates that he attends more than 100 public meetings a year. For the advocacy director of Bike Pittsburgh, being able to join a meeting online makes it easier to pop in and stay updated or give input on something that otherwise might not be a priority. You can, he notes, “listen in while you cook,” and there’s no need to hire a babysitter.

Carol Hardeman, executive director of the Hill District Consensus Group, values the more personal experience of in-person meetings. She has missed at least one opportunity to speak due to difficulties she had getting on screen on time.

The two are among many civic-minded people trying to participate in the community at a time when tools exist for a golden age of public engagement, but when each agency seems to have its own unique rules for when and how citizens can have input into decision-making.

More than three years after COVID-19 drove most public processes online, there’s no consistency among Pittsburgh and Allegheny County agencies regarding citizen participation. Some of the region’s most important agencies are split on practices, and a few appear to be running afoul of state guidance.

Unelected boards and commissions make important decisions affecting how you travel, the water you drink and flush, the availability of housing and other buildings and even aspects of the educational system.

Want to get involved with local boards and commissions? 5 tips for effective engagement.

PublicSource, in its Board Explorer tool, gives readers a look at some 60 panels that make important decisions for the region. This fall, we zoomed in on 10 of those, asking how they’re interacting with the public.

Before 2020, the rules and practices for public engagement with such panels were relatively simple, and guided by the Sunshine Act. In short, governmental decisions have to be made at regular or advertised meetings, open to the public, with deliberations on most issues held in full view amid opportunities for citizen comment.

Early in the pandemic, when the usual standard of in-person meetings wasn’t always prudent or viable, the General Assembly passed Act 15 of 2020, which allowed agencies to conduct meetings with “an authorized telecommunications device until the expiration or termination of the COVID-19 disaster emergency.” That emergency, though, officially ended in mid-2021.

The state Office of Open Records now considers the virtual-only option expired. The office provides for exemptions in cases of declared local disasters, but now generally expects all public meetings to have in-person access, according to Liz Wagenseller, the office’s executive director.

That suits Hardeman, who wants to look people in the eye, and finds it useful to observe, and use, body language. When someone is on Zoom, and their video is off, she can’t tell if they are really listening to her or to other public speakers.

Boerer acknowledged that the ease of meeting online comes with a trade-off. He feels you get more out of an in-person meeting and can connect and chat with residents and staffers afterwards. “You can get a sense of the room, how people are feeling.”

Panning cameras vs. invisible boards

Three of the 10 boards and commissions reviewed by PublicSource continue to conduct online-only meetings.

The Pittsburgh City Planning Commission, Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA] and Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh [HACP] all cite the closure of their longtime Ross Street offices and their relocation from there to 412 Boulevard of the Allies as the reason. David Geiger, the URA’s director of government and strategic affairs, said the conference room on the ground floor of the agencies’ current location is undergoing renovation. Representatives of all three agencies said they intend to reincorporate an in-person component once renovations are complete. Geiger gave no estimated date of completion.

Instead of crowded in-person meetings, the URA, HACP and Planning Commission use Zoom.

For the URA’s September board meeting, members logged in from separate spaces.

For much of the meeting, the virtual setup allowed viewers to see only the person speaking, making it impossible for the audience to know whether other members were actively listening.

The URA reports, though, that virtual attendance numbers regularly exceed 50 and push 100, and complaints about access have dropped since the meetings were held in a Ross Street meeting room with limited capacity.

Two boards — the Community College of Allegheny County [CCAC] and the Allegheny County Housing Authority — have reverted to in-person public meetings format, although ACHA will also set up a virtual link upon request.

Other agencies are holding hybrid meetings, potentially offering the best of both worlds — in-person access with the convenience of remote participation. Not all hybrid formats, though, are created equal.

During the Sept. 15 meeting of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, board members kept their video off as the meeting was conducted on the platform WebEx instead of the more commonly used Zoom. Starting at 11 a.m., it concluded by 11:30. Agenda items and a presentation were read speedily with no discussion of any item.

In contrast, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority [PWSA] convenes board members in one room. They face a spread of seats assembled for the public and a podium for speakers. The online viewer gets to see both the public arena, the speaker and the board members, as the camera pans to each area depending on who has the stage.

According to Rebecca Zito, PWSA’s senior manager of public relations, the agency invested $19,200 during the pandemic to hire an audio visual contractor and now devotes a staff person to each meeting to ensure “a seamless experience.”

However, Zito said that public attendance at PWSA board meetings was actually down to 10 to 15 people, versus pre-pandemic levels of 25 to 35 people.

Pittsburgh, Allegheny commissions all over the board on public engagement
In the wake of the pandemic’s upending of norms of public participation in government, 10 key local boards and commissions have very different procedures for giving citizens windows into their deliberations, and voice in their decisions.

Lucyna de Barbaro, of Squirrel Hill, attends only a few public meetings each year despite her concern for environmental and social justice issues.

“I never know how to find out about them,” de Barbaro said. She generally relies on organizations to prompt her to show up.

“Once you know through your network or through some organizing efforts that the meeting is happening, then everything is kind of easy, the information is out there, there is a way to sign up, rules are provided so that is not a problem,” she said. “The problem is knowing — even knowing — which organizations would take our input.”

Even with prompting, speaking up at a meeting can be “a little intimidating in the sense that if you don’t participate and observe the workings of the board, you actually do not know what type of input you can provide. … Will my comments matter?”

If you, too, want to have more of a say in the decisions of important agencies in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, here are five steps toward more effective engagement.

Step 1: Identify panels in which you have an interest

PublicSource provides Board Explorer, a tool for navigating some 60 of the most influential panels overseeing functions of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County governance.

The city lists its panels here.

The county provides a drop-down list of its panels here.

Step 2: Review the agenda — as soon as it becomes available

Agendas outline the business at hand and often allot a period for public comment. If comments are heard early in the meeting, you can more confidently plan a return to work or childcare pick-up. If placed at the end, as they are, for example, at Pittsburgh Regional Transit [PRT] meetings, you might need to make open-ended plans, as some meetings last hours.

Amendments to the Sunshine Act made in 2021 require that agencies post agendas 24 hours in advance. Some panels do better, posting agendas three to seven days prior to meetings. Others, though, come close to the 24-hour rule.

That might create difficulties for those who want to physically attend, but need to arrange medical transport, as it often takes more than 24 hours to reserve a ride, said Paul O’Hanlon, a disability advocate and a longtime advisory member of the City-County Task Force on Disabilities.

Step 3: Plan ahead if accessibility is an issue

Do you want to attend the meeting in-person or virtually? Check the meeting options and decide. Consider parking locations and the cost to park for the time you expect to be there. Travel via public transit may involve additional walk time. The transit stop nearest the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority [ALCOSAN] board meeting room, for instance, is roughly a 28-minute walk away.

All agencies told PublicSource they would do their best to accommodate reasonable requests for deaf and blind participants’ needs with advance notice. The URA noted challenges with a shortage of ASL interpreters. And while HACP has a Disability Compliance Officer, not all agencies do. For virtual or hybrid meetings, check that Zoom’s closed captions settings are automatically set to ‘on’ by the host.

Step 4: Hone your planned comments, usually to 3 minutes

Check on any limits or requirements needed to speak in advance. Many require prior registration. Can you fit everything you want to say into three minutes? Agencies may use lights, buzzers or verbal interruption with a gentle warning to cue the end of a participant’s time. It can help to write out what you want to say in advance, noting that three minutes is usually about one typed page, and practice with a few run-throughs out loud at varying speeds.

“The three-minute rule can be difficult for someone who needs a little time to think through what they want to say,” said O’Hanlon.

Written comments, including by email, are another way to give input in advance of a board action, but not all agency websites make it clear where comments can be sent. Some have web forms, while one accepts written comments only by postal mail. Pay attention to any deadlines for comment submission.

Step 5: If you’re scratching your head, ask

Maybe you’re looking for the agenda or minutes from many months ago, a video link or an address for the meeting. If you can’t find it online, locate agency contact info and ask. Just posing a question can prompt change. PublicSource’s inquiry about the budget of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, for instance, spurred that agency to rapidly post current information.

Don’t be discouraged if navigating a public meeting isn’t yet what you hoped it would be.

Chardaé Jones, the former mayor of Braddock, has been on both sides of the table. As a volunteer for organizations, she kept showing up at public meetings, seeing what her community needed and volunteering to do it until she ended up in office. “As mayor, I saw community engagement as essential because without it you don’t know how you’re doing as a person in office.”

The pandemic may have caused a seismic shift in the landscape of public meetings, but it also created opportunities for improvement.

“I don’t know of anybody that is perfect, but my experience is that most everybody, kind of, is willing to learn. In my experience, people make adjustments,” said O’Hanlon. “It is just an ongoing challenge.”

View the full article at publicsource.org

Everyone experienced the effects of climate change in some way this summer, Peter Boger said Monday afternoon.

“Whether that was smoke from the fires, or the flooding or with extreme heat,” said Boger, assistant director for outreach and engagement with Penn State Sustainability. “And we know these are going to be issues that continue to affect us here in Pennsylvania and worldwide, and yet at the same time, and this is an exciting moment of opportunity.

“There’s more money coming from the federal government around climate than ever before, and we’re seeing a lot more action at the federal, state and local levels.”

More than 150 people tuned in Monday afternoon for the first webinar of Commonwealth Sustainability Week, focused on efforts from state-level leadership to curb climate change. In its third year, and hosted by the state’s GreenGov Council and Penn State Sustainability, the weeklong event features daily, free webinars focused on climate change and sustainability efforts statewide.

“Hopefully, you see the theme — that we’re trying to raise awareness on climate and, really, our sustainability week is geared around climate actions and planning,” said Mark Hand, director of the GreenGov Council.

The webinar, “2023 Commonwealth Sustainability Week Kickoff — Sustainability Leadership,” included Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, and Reggie McNeil, secretary of the Department of General Services. Richard Negrin, who heads the Department of Environmental Protection, was also scheduled to speak, but didn’t make the webinar. Hand said he was “tied up in another meeting.”

All serve as co-chairs for the council.

‘Cooling down the streets is critical’

The hour-long event was structured like a panel. Officials explained how their departments work to address climate change and sustainability issues before answering questions. The first question asked the panelists to share near-term climate actions that can be accomplished across the state, as well as their biggest concerns.

“Every parking lot, every rooftop I see, I feel like should have solar on it,” Dunn said. “ … So getting solar everywhere it can be, and overcoming the barriers to that policy-wise, legislatively and it costs-wise, but the investment certainly [would] be worth it in the long run.”

She also mentioned efforts to add more trees, especially in cities, where “tree cover is essential.”

“If you can get shade on streets and houses, it makes a tremendous difference in urban heat and that can save lives,” she said. “Urban heat is a killer in the summertime. So, getting our urban and suburban areas forest-covered is critical to reduce energy bills, but also to save lives and create cover

“After summer like we had, and it’s only going one direction from here right now — cooling down the streets is critical.”

Audience members were also able to submit their own questions. One asked what other state departments are working towards sustainability goals.

Closing trail gaps around the state is a major focus for other departments, including PennDOT, Dunn said. Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River Trail was built through grants, as well as funding from PennDOT and private funding, she said.

Bike commuters can use the trail “as opposed to sitting on the Schuylkill Expressway in traffic and belching exhaust.”

“In the Allentown area as well,” she continued. “There’s a link trail that’s aiming to really provide active transportation. Again, DCNR with our grants on trails has been a key partner there, as have the other agencies.”

The Link Trail connects multi-use trails across the Valley for year-round outdoor recreation and transportation.

“Getting vehicles off the road [and] getting people on trails to connect, even local errands,” she said. I was just in Hellertown a couple of years ago, when we completed a trail there, and people were using their bikes to go to the store.”

Another question dealt with severe weather events, asking if the secretaries see an opportunity to rebuild any damage using more sustainable techniques.

“If we rebuild or renovate anything, we are going to use the most energy-efficient equipment, the most green materials that are out there.”
Reggie McNeil, secretary of the state Department of General Services
“If we rebuild or renovate anything, we are going to use the most energy-efficient equipment, the most green materials that are out there,” McNeil said.

Only a handful of the more than a dozen questions submitted by the audience were answered, but Hand encouraged participants to register for future webinars throughout the week.

The schedule of webinars this week includes:

• Preparing for a Changing Climate: Building a Resilient Pennsylvania
• Join the Movement – PA Climate Network Participation & Training Opportunities
• Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
• Fostering Resilient Communities – Local Climate Action and Planning

A Lehigh Valley official is scheduled to speak as a panelist during Friday’s webinar, “Fostering Resilient Communities.”

Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, is scheduled to discuss “how climate planning leads to more resilient communities.”

Other speakers include Michael Walsh, deputy secretary of the state’s Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; Lindsay A. Byron, an environmental group manager in the energy programs office of the state Department of Environmental Protection; and Cathy Tulley, environmental programs manager of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

“The session provides an opportunity to hear what state and local government planners are working on to address climate change and how we can get involved with local planning and developing local climate priorities.”

“We’ll have a great set of presenters representing a combination of state and local governments to discuss local climate action and planning,” Hand said. “The session provides an opportunity to hear what state and local government planners are working on to address climate change and how we can get involved with local planning and developing local climate priorities.”

Earlier this year, the LVPC announced the receipt of a $1 million infusion of federal funds earmarked to create two separate climate action plans over the next four years.

Officials must create a Priority Climate Action Plan, focused on industrial decarbonization, as well as a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. The former is due March 1, while the latter is expected to be adopted in August 2025, officials said during a recent meeting of the commission’s Environmental Committee.

Register for any of this week’s webinars here. They will also be recorded and posted on the GreenGov Council’s website.

View the full article at lehighvalleynews.com

From May 15-21, Individuals that Track their Commute Can Enter to Win Big Prizes.

Today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization, kicked off a one-week long Commuter Challenge—an effort to encourage local residents to take sustainable modes of transportation like carpooling, vanpooling, and biking.

The Commuter Challenge is an initiative of Commute Info, a ride sharing program that offers multiple solutions for individuals or businesses looking to travel in a more green, sustainable way.

“This fun, friendly competition is a way that everyone can take action,” said Anthony Hickton, Manager of the Transportation Demand Management program at Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “Very often, people want to help make our environment and transportation methods cleaner and more sustainable, but they don’t know how to do it on an individual level. Our Commuter Challenge incentives people to try taking public transit, vanpooling, carpooling, biking, or walking when getting to and from places.”

Individuals can participate in the challenge by tracking their eco-friendly commutes online at www.commuteinfo.org. Once individuals enter their commutes, they will be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes, including gift certificates ranging in value from $25 to $400 to places like Giant Eagle, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the Carnegie Science Center. The grand prize is a $400 gift certificate to a local bike shop.

Each trip that individuals enter during this challenge week will count as one entry. Winner(s) will be notified via the email(s) associated with their CommuteInfo account and must respond within five business days to claim their prize. If winners do not reply within the required timeframe another winner will be selected.

Read Release

Pittsburgh officials are close to finalizing the design for the Charles Anderson Bridge, which carries Boulevard of the Allies over Schenley Park, and connects Oakland to Squirrel Hill; construction is slated to begin in 2024. While that’s two years ahead of schedule, city officials and community members alike acknowledged at a meeting Wednesday night it still feels like a long time off.

Work on a plan for the Charles Anderson began in 2019.

The span is historic, which complicates things; Pittsburgh is receiving state and federal money, which adds additional burdens; and it runs over a park, which has its own quirks. Zachary Workman is the project lead for the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, and he explained rehabilitating the Charles Anderson means working through the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which can be quite a lengthy process.

“There’s a lot of considerations that go into making sure the project is really considering all those who are impacted, both the neighborhoods and the environment around it,” he said.

Still, the city was able to shift the anticipated 2026 construction date, which led to a question of whether there was any room to expedite it further.

The limiting factor is usually federal funding, said Kim Lucas, who leads the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure. But in the last few years, Pittsburgh has “received more federal funding for our bridge projects than probably ever in the history of the city,” Lucas said.

“That funding is usually budgeted out to future years, and if you need to move it up, there are tradeoffs.”

Working with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (the regional planning organization), PennDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration, Pittsburgh was able to make tradeoffs, but the implication was there aren’t more to be made. Lucas also noted physical realities, such as rehabilitating old steel, limit speed.

Though the city’s design for the bridge is constrained by its historic designation, officials say they will be able to add a bike lane, while also keeping both sidewalks.

While the bridge has been closed to cars since this winter, it remained open to pedestrians and cyclists. Once construction starts, those users will also be detoured to other routes.

Another meeting with an updated design is expected later in the summer, and construction is expected to conclude in 2025.

In addition to talking about the Charles Anderson Bridge, city officials also provided a brief update on other affected bridges: the Panther Hollow Overpass and the Swinburne Bridge. Work on the former will begin during the work on Charles Anderson, and the latter will begin after (Swinburne currently serves as a detour for the Charles Anderson).

Stakeholders from Oakland, Squirrel Hill, and Greenfield voiced numerous concerns about communication around and plans for Swinburne, and repeatedly asked city officials to reopen comments on the project and to commit to more meetings. They agreed to both of those requests.

View the full article at wesa.fm

Members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), met on Tuesday at the new Butler County Community College in Ford City to collect public input for their long-range transportation plan.

The plan they are updating, according to an SPC press release, called SmartMoves for a Changing Region, was adopted in June 2019 and included more than $35 billion in regional transportation priorities for the next 25 years.

Caitlin O’Connor, SPC media point of contact, wrote in the release that the SPC is the area’s designated metropolitan planning organization and works closely with the 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including Armstrong County.

The agency also works closely with PennDOT on road improvement projects.

Ryan Gordon, manager, transportation program development for the SPC, presented a PowerPoint presentation about the plan during the meeting.

He said SmartMoves for a Changing Region includes a regional vision of a world-class, safe and well maintained, integrated transportation system that provides mobility for all, enables resilient communities and supports a globally competitive economy.

To achieve this vision, the long-range plan includes a list of projects currently within fiscal capacity and projects beyond the fiscal capacity, he said.

Mr. Gordon said the Regional Vision includes three major categories, including: transit projects, such as a West Busway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) extension to Pittsburgh International Airport and an East Busway extension to the east suburbs and the Mon Valley, among other projects.

The Regional Vision also includes an active transportation category, or funds for walking/biking trails and filling in gaps between trails, he said.

The active transportation category includes extending the Three Rivers Heritage Trail to Freeport; and connecting the Westmoreland Heritage Trail to the Great Allegheny Passage, the bike trail that runs through Homestead, among other projects.

The third category is roadways, that is, highway improvement projects such as the modernization of U.S. Route 30.

The Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), lasts 25 years, and is updated every four years.

When projects are moved from the LRTP to the short-term, two-year TIF (Transportation Improvement Program), it means those projects will soon be started, or are, in the case of the Margaret Road intersection, already underway.

Other Armstrong County projects moved to the 2021 or 2023 TIF list include preservation work on the Judge J. Frank Graff Bridge; rehabilitation of the 1/112th Infantry Bridge and Graff Ramp; Armstrong State Route 28 group bridge rehabilitations; and safety improvements to the Goheenville Dip.

According to Mr. Gordon’s PowerPoint presentation, Armstrong County projects in the current TIP include the Poverty Hill Bridge, work on the State Route 85-State Route 2001 intersection, U.S. Route 422 concrete preservation, Rural Valley Bridge #4, Brick Church Bridge #2, and the Pyra Road Bridge.

He said the projects will also be evaluated from an “environmental justice” perspective, which helps ensure projects do not negatively impact minority communities.

Enhanced broadband is also important and a needed improvement, Mr. Gordon said.

After the meeting, Harold Swan, a planning and programming manager for PennDOT, said improvements on State Route 28 north of Kittanning will likely include turning lanes and other work to make the road safer.

Darin Alviano of the Armstrong County Planning and Development office said the county is concerned with projects to the north, east, and in all parts of the county, not just in Kittanning.

Jeremy Dias of state Sen. Joe Pittman’s office submitted the following statement about the meeting between SPC staff members, local officials and PennDOT representatives:

“Sen. Pittman is always pleased to advocate and work to secure funding that addresses critical infrastructure needs within the 41st Senatorial district,” he wrote. “We are grateful for the partnerships that exist with PennDOT, SPC and Armstrong County and for their efforts to help advance transportation projects within the region.”

Public input

If a member of the public wasn’t able to attend the meeting, but still wants to provide their perspective on the transportation plans and issues, SPC members invited them to submit their comments before June 9.

Citizens can submit their comments either by email at comments@spcregion.org, by submitting an online form by fax at 412-391-9160; or by mailing comments to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s address at P.O. Box 101429, Pittsburgh, PA, 15237.

An SPC spokeswoman said SPC staff people respond to every comment.

View the full article at leadertimes.com

Brackenridge Councilman Dino Lopreiato said a new half-mile walking trail through the borough will do more than create recreational opportunities.

“It will showcase some of the nicest river views in Western Pennsylvania,” he said.

“People will be able to walk or ride a bike, and, hopefully, it will encourage residents to get out and enjoy our beautiful park.”

Work kicked off this week on the trail segment, which is part of the larger, 33-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail operated by the nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront.

The $445,000 project is nearly seven years in the making.

Stretching from Mile Lock Lane to Morgan Street, it will link other pending trail sections in Harrison and Tarentum.

When completed, it will be part of the path from Erie to Pittsburgh.

Construction will be paid for by three grants: $100,000 from the Allegheny County Community Infrastructure and Tourism Fund; $60,400 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and close to $285,000 from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

Crews have begun marking and digging the portion of the walkway that will be built along First Avenue on the grassy side of the guiderail.

Work is expected to take about two weeks.

An asphalt trail will be complemented by a split-rail fence for added safety, and native plants will be added.

A second phase of work will create a designated path through Brackenridge Memorial Park.

Both sections of the trail are expected to be completed this year.

Courtney Mahronich Vita, director of trail development for Friends of the Riverfront, said that while the trail is relatively short, it carries a mighty role.

“Building out the Three Rivers Heritage Trail Network in Allegheny County is challenging, but every foot and half-mile addition makes a difference in closing the gaps,” she said.

“Friends is excited to see this trail segment become a reality.”

Work in Brackenridge will someday link with other planned trails, stretching the path onward to Freeport in one direction and Millvale in the other.

Borough officials said they favor the idea of urging walkers and bikers to use the trail and not the road.

Lopreiato said he believes the trail will draw a wider audience to town.

“I look forward to walkers and riders traveling through town and discovering it,” he said.

View the full article at triblive.com

Rob Brandegee picked up and moved to Pittsburgh’s Strip District to enjoy its convenience and bustling city living atmosphere.

For the growing population of Strip District residents like him, it’s not uncommon to take a walk and run into friends and acquaintances.

“It’s very sociable, and it really has a neighborhood vibe,” said Brandegee.

Brandegee relocated from Highland Park to the Strip in 2021. Part of the appeal was how easy it is to reach South Side-based Little Earth Productions, the company he co-founded that manufactures licensed apparel and accessories, like the Terrible Towel, for professional and college teams. He loves the mix of Strip District residents ranging from young professionals to middle-aged and older.

On Smallman, the iconic Produce Terminal – a string of connected warehouses that opened up a portion of the docks to independent retailers, bakers and craftspeople – has been transformed into The Terminal, a bright, glossy shopping center. Vibrantly painted steps lead to businesses like Aslin Beer Company, Mayweather Boxing & Fitness and Posman’s Books, just a few blocks from long-time fixtures like Salem’s Market & Grill, Robert Wholey & Co. Fish Market and Pennsylvania Macaroni Co.

Several food and entertainment spots within the Terminal are expected to open this spring and summer, including the music venue City Winery, Novo Asian Food Hall, and Puttshack, as well as office space for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

Mohamed Yassin likes to visit the Strip District once or twice a week. For the doctor specializing in infectious diseases at nearby UPMC Mercy in Uptown, dropping by the neighborhood is easy.

“I think it’s the heart of Pittsburgh,” the Fox Chapel resident said. “Even just walking around, it makes you feel like part of Pittsburgh. My wife and I will go to Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. to get olives and cheeses. We will stop by the bakery and get some nice bread. Then we take the car up to Mount Washington to see the view. So this place really means a lot to me.”

Dan Adamski, senior managing director of JLL Pittsburgh, noted that commercial construction “is almost completely halted.”

Adamski said the Strip District has a “wow factor” that attracts highly sought-after talent who can live, bike and walk and visit new restaurants and brew pubs.

“That’s what companies in the post-covid world are seeking,” Adamski said. “If you have an office, it can’t be the old, beige cube farm. It’s a confluence of a bunch of attractive factors that, if you’re a company looking for a space, you look at the Strip District.”

Read the full article at triblive.com

SPC’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Team is implementing a comprehensive “bicycle level of comfort”, analysis on our region’s road network. This level of comfort, or LOC analysis aids cyclists in finding comfortable and enjoyable routes as we continue promoting bike travel in the region.

View the video to learn more and view the current Level of Comfort map here.

Five years after the Green Building Alliance surveyed Pittsburgh area commuters about how they get to work, the answers have changed substantially, with more people using several ways each week, working or starting from home and using bikes or ride-share options.

“One of the largest takes is people commuting differently from day to day,” said Isaac Smith, data and performance director for the alliance. “They may drive two days a week, work from home one day and then take a bike. There’s a level of flexibility that’s growing in the workforce.”

The alliance — a group of more than 500 Downtown Pittsburgh building operators aiming for a 50% reduction in energy use, water consumption and transportation emissions by 2030 — released the results of last fall’s survey of more than 20,081 commuters during a Strip District event Thursday. It also announced it already reached its 2020 goal of a 20% reduction in those areas.

Read the full article at post-gazette.com