Issue
Paving, city steps, retaining walls, streetlights, and the coordination behind them.
City Council
More of Pittsburgh's leftover pandemic aid is headed to street paving. On Sept. 23, council advanced moving $346,683 from streetlight and mobile toilet projects to paving. If it isn't spent by the end of 2026, a budget official said, it'll likely go back to the federal government. She said shifting unspent money to paving is the only quick way to get it out the door.
City Council
Many no parking signs go up with no construction in sight. On Aug. 31, a city transportation official told council a 2025 permit process replaced a one-size-fits-all approach to no parking. She also said aging pipes can break from paving vibrations, so newly repaved streets sometimes get dug up again. Still, she said better coordinating street closures would take more staff.
City Council
After paying nearly $770,000 to have its streets photographed and measured, the city still relies on the company to host the data. On June 17, council agreed to move forward with a three-year, $46,590 extension to keep access. The mobility director said the data lets some projects be done in-house. Still, a council member questioned paying for continued access.
City Council
After years of advocacy, neighbors on lower Dunmore Street in Lincoln-Lemington are set to get a new retaining wall. Council voted to proceed with $134,831 to remove and replace the collapsed wall. The mayor's office had called it private property, but WPXI found conflicting property records. The money comes from an East End development fund.
City Council
Pittsburgh has more stairs than any other city in the country, with 45,000 steps in all. This week, the mobility and infrastructure department requested $705,180 for final designs on the next set of repairs. That brings total design costs to nearly $1.4 million. Construction will begin next year, the acting director said.
City Council
Sidewalk and bus stop repairs, plus new crosswalks, are part of a mobility plan for the West End, Esplen, Elliott, and Sheraden. The county's redevelopment authority has added another $100,000, doubling its contribution to $200,000. City officials hope the work also draws people to the area's under-used business district. A council member said residents still oppose rezoning but favor this plan.
City Council
Penn Avenue in East Liberty is set to get 96 new LED streetlights, from the Target at Spirit Street to Negley Avenue. The city won state funds to install them. The upgrade adds to a citywide project replacing high-pressure sodium fixtures with LEDs. LED lights use less electricity and produce less light pollution.
City Council
Penn Avenue between Evaline and Graham streets is set for a full rebuild, from sidewalks to traffic lights. Now, council has approved an amended state agreement raising the total cost to about $12.3 million. The city is responsible for 20% of that. Meanwhile, council put off a proposed settlement over the demolished Finland Street pedestrian bridge for two weeks.