City Cast Pittsburgh logo
Display Ad for 412 Day on Sunday, Arpil 12 - 11am - 2pm at Southern Tier Brewing
August 25, 2025

Essential Rules for Driving in Pittsburgh

City Cast Pittsburgh

Essential Rules for Driving in Pittsburgh

00:00:00
View all City Cast Pittsburgh episodes

We've heard that driving in Pittsburgh is like driving on "hard mode," and people have been complaining about our streets for decades. In the 1930s, renowned journalist Erine Pyle wrote, "Pittsburgh is the cockeyedest city in the United States. Physically it is absolutely irrational. It must have been laid out by a mountain goat.” That still rings true today, and we're joined by friend of the pod and former Uber driver Jakob Lazzaro  to talk about why the streets are like this, share some very important rules for navigating our narrow, hilly streets, and – of course – debate the efficacy of the Pittsburgh Left. 

Want to dive deeper into the history behind our city’s quirky layout and driving rules? Check out WESA’s reporting on our mismatched streets, frustrating on-ramps and Beltway System. Pittsburgh City Paper also has a great look at our Beltway. And don’t miss the 99% Invisible episode about trying to create a GPS that speaks Pittsburghese.

Learn more about the sponsors of this August 25th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

Family House

Overlook Maps

TurboTenant

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Pittsburgh

Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
April 10

Michelin Guide Proves Us Wrong! Plus, Music Crawl & Underground Park

The Michelin Guide is coming to Pittsburgh! The timing is kind of hilarious, since we just did an episode about why our city doesn't have...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 9

The 13 Best Pizza Joints in Western PA

While we have a growing number of delicious pizza joints in and around the city, our pizza scene just doesn't compare to New York — at le...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 8

Legal Weed, Raising the Minimum Wage & More High Hopes in the PA House

Pennsylvania is one of the few states with a split legislature, which makes it extra hard for a bill to become law. The Democratic-contro...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 7

Carrie Blast Furnace Mystery Solved, Hollywood Money & Space Research

Rivers of Steel finally figured out who the Carrie Blast Furnace was named after! Roman Hladio, chief reporter at NEXTpittsburgh, joins h...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 6

How Pittsburgh Became the World's Roller Coaster Capital

Kennywood's almost open, and we're not talking about your fly! The amusement park's first day of the season is April 18. To celebrate, we...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 5

'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

Both Denver and Pittsburgh wanted, but didn't get, a WNBA team. While more and more people are embracing women’s sports, Denver is only t...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 3

$200 Parking, Money for Parks & Pour One Out for Fat Head’s

City Council's getting in on the NFL Draft action. They've approved security agreements with 18 law enforcement agencies — and that inclu...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 2

Why Pittsburgh Doesn't Have (or Need) Michelin Star Restaurants

We've got so many fantastic restaurants in the city, and our local chefs are regularly recognized by the James Beard Foundation. But the...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
April 1

Your Guide to April 2026 in Pittsburgh

From outdoor dance parties and Easter Egg hunts to spring fungi walks and cinnamon roll crawls, there are so many ways to get out in Pitt...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art
March 31

AI Tutors? Outdoor Classrooms? The Future of Learning in Pittsburgh {SPONSORED}

Episode Description: On this bonus sponsored episode by the Grable Foundation, we explore how learning is evolving in Pittsburgh and what...

City Cast Pittsburgh podcast episode art