Construction began Monday on a stretch of road that the city of Pittsburgh hopes will help connect bicyclists on the Three Rivers Trail to Riverview Park.
Drivers routinely speed along the route, dubbed by the city as “Mairdale Neighborway,” according to city officials. The construction work this week is the first phase of an effort to slow down drivers and provide a better connection for bicyclists between Riverview Park and one of the city’s most popular bicycle paths along the river.
The upgrades will include more visible sidewalks, arrows to indicate where bikes and cars share the road, and bumps that will slow traffic without hurting emergency vehicles. There will also be a 0.3-mile extension of a bike lane toward the park.
The full project will connect the end of Westhall Street next to the Ohio River all the way up to Mairdale Avenue at the northwest corner of Riverview Park, according to project maps published by the city.
A study by the city showed that the majority of drivers speed along the Mairdale Neighborway and at least 15% of them drive 40 mph or faster. There were 42 traffic accidents and two pedestrian accidents on the neighborway reported between 2018 and 2022.
The first phase of construction will take place along Woods Run and McClure avenues this week in the Marshall-Shadeland and Brighton Heights neighborhoods. Construction work will limit driving lanes and parking where construction is taking place, particularly between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. No-parking signs and flaggers will direct traffic.
More information about the project can be found on the city’s website.
