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City Cast Pittsburgh

Francesca Dabecco

Looking out for your neighbors’ safety can be as simple as looking down.

 is building a network of volunteers to document risky sections of our city’s walkways. The collaborative project is led by BikePGH, Access Mob, and Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.

“It’s really about equity,” says Seth Bush, Advocacy Manager at BikePGH. “We’re looking at the distribution of the quality of our sidewalks and how we can connect neighborhoods to resources more effectively.”

The crew’s observations will be used to assess sidewalk conditions throughout our 90 neighborhoods and help the city create long-term plans for upgrades.

This planning, Bush says, is essential to 

. A 2024 report from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows that 

 in the U.S. happened in locations without a sidewalk.

“This program works best when volunteers report from their neighborhood. They know it best.” Bush says. “We have a lot of ground to cover, and we need a lot of people.”

Discover what makes sidewalks safe and accessible 

. Attendees will learn how to report sidewalk issues through a form where users can easily log a concern by noting the location and uploading a picture.

If you don’t see a training date that works for you, contact 

 and they’ll coordinate a session. Once trained, you can submit reports from anywhere in the city.

If you want to connect with more crew members, be sure to look out for neighborhood-wide “blitz” efforts on 

. Note: Training isn’t required before attending one of these events; you’ll get a crash course and a partner to walk with.

Pittsburgh Walks can also train volunteer groups, such as clubs and workplace teams. Reach out to 

Disability advocate and Access Mob Pittsburgh Director Alisa Grishman 

 — but especially wheelchair users like herself.

“In a world that has great sidewalks, sliding doors, and ramps, I wouldn’t be disabled; I’d be able to get everywhere just the same as someone who is currently able-bodied. It’s the world that creates the disability, not my chair.”

Stay engaged by following organizations like 

, and reporting all kinds of neighborhood 

Help make Pittsburgh more accessible by reporting sidewalk issues from anywhere in the city.

How You Can Help To Make Pittsburgh Safer for Pedestrians

How To Join Pittsburgh’s Safe Sidewalks Crew

Tips and tricks for living your best Pittsburgh life, by locals, for locals.

Pittsburgh Life Hacks

Gear up for a fun season ahead with these Pittsburgh shops, rentals, and repair services.

Visit this small, scrappy shop on East Ohio Street for a used bike or tune up. Want to learn to work on your own bike? Classes are held on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Call ahead at 412-586-5410. It’s free for members, and a suggested donation of $5-10 for nonmembers.

Find new bikes, parts and accessories, car racks, clothing, and more at this shop on Forbes Avenue. Already have a ride? They also do bicycle repairs, from 

. Browse the impressive catalog on their site before you stop in.

Did you know that this North Side spot is the world’s largest bicycle museum and bike shop? It has a collection of 6,000 new and vintage bikes — including some once owned by famous riders like Pee-wee Herman. You can buy, rent, and repair bicycles here, but it’s also completely free to visit and explore!

What started as a hobby for steelworker Steve Kraynick in the 1940s is now a staple Pittsburgh bike store and repair shop. Every year, volunteers with the shop’s “Bikes Before Christmas” program repair hundreds of donated bicycles for local families.

Find bikes for on- and off-road use, racing, and all-purpose riding at West Liberty Cycles. Does your bike need a specific repair? 

This collective doesn’t just offer repairs and new bikes for sale — it’s also a community space where you can volunteer to help others with repairs and get store credit in return. Want to learn? 

Take a guided tour of Pittsburgh, go on your own adventure, or book a group experience at this shop on First Avenue along the Monongahela River. Want something more long term? They also do used bike sales and repairs.

This full-service bike shop offers a range of services, from flat tire fixes to complete overhauls. They also service e-bikes, which are gaining popularity with daily commuters who 

From wheels to chains, this Butler Street spot has everything you need for, as they put it, “two-wheeled freedom machine.” Need help finding parts for repairs? The staff is super helpful and can guide you to the right gear.

If you want to discover Pittsburgh’s trails or go on a long trip through the Great Allegheny Passage, Bike the Burgh offers rentals for all the gear you need. Or, you can take an urban tour with one of their expert guides for $40.

Want to ride a Fern Hollow Bicycle on the new Fern Hollow Bridge? Get a new or used bike, an electric ride, accessories, a tune-up, or a larger repair at this S. Trenton Avenue shop.

This full-service bike shop will give you a basic tune-up or full restoration, polish your old parts, or make you a custom bike with one of their vintage frames. They have 

Need a good look before you test ride? Thick Bikes has a full inventory of new and used bikes on their website. Stop in for a bike repair, special flat fix clinic event, or — if you’re brave — try to balance on one of their unicycles!

Thinking of going electric? Get all of your questions answered and go for a test ride at one of Trek’s various locations. They do 24-hour bike repairs for all bike brands. Check the cost for repair tiers, from a “scrub down” to a “strip down.”

Service your bike, or get a new ride at these Pittsburgh shops.

Pittsburgh's Best Bike Shops

Where To Buy, Rent, or Tune Up a Bike in Pittsburgh

Find the best of everything that Pittsburgh has to offer.

Pittsburgh’s Best

Pittsburgh's Best

Welcome to your Hey Pittsburgh bulletin board: A virtual space to share volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, workshops, and other ways to help your neighbors.

If you can’t be outside, you might as well be reading about it. 

presented by 3 Rivers Outdoors Co. and CC Mellor Memorial Library will kick off a new season with "The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light" by Paul Bogard and the first in-person discussion on January 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Allegheny County residents can now earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) for free through the Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s 

. The course is offered to students 18 to 24 at the Boyce Campus.

 dedicated to creating a community based on shared interests in art, science, and natural history. You can attend the launch party on February 8, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Carnegie Science Center’s new Titanic exhibit.

Have a local biz? The Lawrenceville market house is now 

Plus, a Pittsburgh book club for outdoors lovers, free bus driving courses, and a call for vendors.

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group in Pittsburgh

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

Make Pittsburgh better, one neighbor at a time. Find volunteering opportunities, ways to get involved and give back, and more.

Help Your Pittsburgh Neighbors

Help Your Neighbors

It’s a good time to brush off your car and brush up on safety tips for navigating Pittsburgh’s “

 for battery health, lights, brakes, wipers, windshield fluid, and tire pressure. You might want to get winter wiper blades so they don’t streak.

, or get snow chains for your tires. Chains are permitted in Pennsylvania between Nov. 1 and 

: Put a quarter into the tread of your tire and look for George Washington’s head. If you can see any part of the top of his head, you don’t have enough tread, and you should replace those tires.

 Snow should never be shoveled onto the street. Make sure the snow isn’t piled near the oncoming direction of snow plows so that it won’t get pushed back into your driveway. And don’t forget to clear ice and snow off your car. 

 to decrease your risk of getting stranded.

 in your car with a blanket, extra warm clothes, jumper cables, flashlight and batteries, bottled water, snow shovel, ice scraper, and other supplies.

 Pittsburgh’s hills can get pretty dicey, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with multiple routes in case snow and ice send you on a detour. There’s actually an app where you can 

 and keep extra space between yourself and other cars — no matter what type of vehicle you have.

on bridges and underpasses. Those are the slippiest!

If you begin to skid, let off the accelerator and brake

, then turn your steering wheel in the direction you want to go.

 – especially with our steep and narrow streets. If you see a chair, cone, or object of any kind holding a cleared spot in the snow, be a friendly neighbor and find a different spot.

Bush off your car and brush up on safety tips for navigating Pittsburgh’s “slippy” winter streets.

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

On the high ground above the southern banks of the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers sits the neighborhood of Mt. Washington. It’s famed for its quintessential view of the Downtown skyline and the rolling hills of neighborhoods in the background. In the early days of Pittsburgh, it was known as “Coal Hill” because of its easy access to several mines at the base. Rock — like gray sandstone — was also quarried in “Coal Hill.” Fun fact: that’s where they got stone for the second and current Allegheny County Courthouse.

Mt. Washington is also famous for its long-standing funiculars — the only two remaining of 24 that used to scale Pittsburgh hills. The Monongahela Incline was the first one built in 1869, and the Duquesne Incline opened in 1877. These early “gravity planes” were used exclusively for coal.

 is right at the top, ready to serve you cocktails and Mexico City-style street food.

🏒 Are you a Pittsburgh hockey fan? Word on the Mount is that you might run into Evgeni Malkin at 

, a take-out halal eatery with Russian and Uzbeki food.

 has 43 rotating taps, a seasonal menu for brunch and dinner, and most famously, a gorgeous rooftop.

 for the specialty cocktails and small bites, stay for the cozy vibes.

 has been Mt. Washington’s watering hole for over a century. Today you can find booze, microbrews, and brunch bites like loaded mac and cheese. For more American comfort food, check out 

👀 For stellar food and views, make reservations at one of the upscale restaurants like 

🫗Get silly at a late night haunt, including 

🍰 Cookies, cakes, pastries, pies, oh my! You can get just about any dessert at 

, love, Pittsburgh is your one-stop-shop for gifts by local artists and makers.

🌻 Pick your own flowers or buy a bouquet at the urban farm and gift shop, 

. They also host flower arranging classes, gardening classes, and pop-up markets. Don’t miss 

 with a fall garden center, vendor market, Steelers watch party, pumpkin painting, and more.

📸 Take the Incline to the top, and stop for a snapshot at the 

📚 Check out a book and read with a view at the 

, built in 1900 right on Grandview Avenue.

👟 Lace your shoes for a short, steep hike up 

 then take the Saddle Trail Branch for a 2.4 mile loop hike with views of the city.

Ride the Incline to dine with a view, buy local gifts, or hike to an urban flower farm in Mt. Washington.

Get To Know Mt. Washington Pittsburgh

Get To Know Mt. Washington

Everything to know about Pittsburgh neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Pittsburgh Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is beginning the first phase of construction on the 

 (or University Line). Changes will take effect Oct. 1. The University Line will cost $300 million and connect the city’s two largest business districts, Downtown and Oakland; the corridor serves around 30,000 people per day.

Of the eight buses that currently travel among Oakland, Uptown, and Downtown, half will be labeled “short” and turn around at Robinson Street and Fifth Avenue. Notices will also be posted at bus stops. The other four lines will continue the Downtown route, running every four minutes during peak hours.

Folks who pay cash will have to pay two fares, one for the first half and a second for their transfer bus. Laura Chu Wiens from Pittsburghers for Public Transit 

 it makes the whole system less accessible for older adults and people with disabilities.

 founder Alisa Grishman said: “I’m so frustrated. I built my life around access to these buses.” 🎧 She talked to me last year about 

what it’s like to navigate Pittsburgh in a wheelchair

Pittsburgh Regional Transportation will host a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12 to explain upcoming service adjustments to the 61- and 71-series bus routes. 

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is beginning the first phase of construction on the bus rapid transit line (or University Line). Changes will take effect Oct. 1. 

Why Some Pittsburgh Bus Routes Are Changing

What Pittsburghers have been wondering. We break down why things in Pittsburgh are the way they are and how they work.

Pittsburgh, Explained

Welcome to your Hey Pittsburgh bulletin board — a virtual space to share volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, workshops, and more things that help you and your neighbors.

 in Arlington, Crafton, Chartiers, Ingram, Mt. Oliver, South Side Slopes, and Windgap. No human cases have been reported, but the county is spraying pesticide. If you notice properties with stagnant water, you can 

 for the 2024 DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and other races scheduled for May 3-5. More than 40,000 attendees are expected.

 on Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Allegheny Commons Fountain near Cedar Avenue and E. North Avenue.

, and the deadline to apply is September 4. 

Fill out a form explaining why you’re interested

. Women, people of color, and folks in the LGBTQIA+ community are especially encouraged to apply.

📌 Pin to the Hey Pittsburgh Bulletin Board!

Learn how to mitigate mosquitos, snag a free bike light, apply for a homebrew kit giveaway, and sign up for the 2024 DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon

How To Get a Free Bike Light in Pittsburgh

Driving through the Fort Pitt tunnel and watching the city’s golden bridge and bright skyline unfold in front of you isn’t just a magical Pittsburgh experience — it was essential to our city’s renaissance in the 1950s.

In August 1957, workers began drilling the 3,614-foot portals through Mount Washington, 

 It took three years and cost $17 million. In September 1960, the first car drove through with Mayor Joseph Barr and Gov. David L. Lawrence.

When the Pirates called up Willie Stargel in 1962, he said this about his first impression of Pittsburgh: "Last night, coming in from the airport, we came through the tunnel and the city opened up its arms and I felt at home."

The infrastructure and its design is dramatic and unique. On January 3, 1988, the New York Times published an article by Paul Goldberger who wrote "Pittsburgh is the only city in America with an entrance."

Its name obviously comes from Fort Pitt, the historic grounds where British forces built their fort between 1759 and 1761. But before I was even old enough to learn about the French and Indian War, I heard “Fort Pitt” in my family’s everyday vernacular. “That’s it, Fort Pitt!” means “that’s all” or “there you have it!” It actually comes from a 

Watching the city’s golden bridge and bright skyline unfold from the Fort Pitt Tunnel isn’t just a magical Pittsburgh experience — it was essential to our city’s renaissance in the 1950s.

How The Fort Pitt Tunnel Fueled Pittsburgh's Renaissance

People, places, and scenes from Pittsburgh's past.

Pittsburgh History

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services is sending out Pittsburgh Regional Transit ConnectCards as part of the new Discounted Fares Pilot Program — a 12-month pilot aimed at studying the impact of transportation affordability on low-income residents. About 5,000 people are currently participating, and the program has room for 14,000 more people. You could be one of them.If you are between the ages of 18 and 64 and receive SNAP benefits, 

 to be randomly assigned either free fares or half-price fares.

If you have limited digital access, 

 for applications over the phone or in person.

🎄 And while we have you thinking about public transport, catch up on 

 about one city bus driver’s mission to spread holiday cheer.

transportation

How To Join Pittsburgh’s Safe Sidewalks Crew

Where To Buy, Rent, or Tune Up a Bike in Pittsburgh

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

Latest articles

How To Join Pittsburgh’s Safe Sidewalks Crew

Where To Buy, Rent, or Tune Up a Bike in Pittsburgh

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

Get To Know Mt. Washington

Why Some Pittsburgh Bus Routes Are Changing

How To Get a Free Bike Light in Pittsburgh

Latest articles

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

Get To Know Mt. Washington

Why Some Pittsburgh Bus Routes Are Changing

How To Get a Free Bike Light in Pittsburgh

How The Fort Pitt Tunnel Fueled Pittsburgh's Renaissance

How Do I Get Discounted Bus Fare?