June 2024 Newsletter
Let's reimagine public spaces along Washington Road. The Municipality of Mt. Lebanon has initiated a project to advance placemaking in Uptown, specifically to consider improvements to public spaces such as Clearview Common, Clocktower Plaza, Parse Way and the stairway to the Mt. Lebanon light rail station.
Share your ideas here! Let them know Move Lebo sent you.
safer streets for people powered mobility
Well, June… that’s a wrap! We loved seeing so many of you out in the community - thanks to you, we’re gaining momentum. Let’s keep it going! Here’s a recap from the month:
WEBSITE
We launched our new website with an awesome page of Resources now available. Interested in learning how to initiate a traffic study on your street? Or maybe you’re looking for inspiration about traffic calming options? Check out our Resources page for more info and keep checking back as we continue to build this section. Is there something you’d like to see? Let us know! You can also use our Report! page to submit concerns about a sidewalk, intersection, etc.
LEBO PRIDE
We had a great time supporting our friends at Lebo Pride with their incredible Pride Celebration. Move Lebo was excited to offer [the first ever!] bike valet for visitors. We’re filling the gap, as currently there are no bike racks located in the Main Park. We’re committed to bringing bike racks to the park but until then, we’re happy to valet your bike for you! :) We also captured a “wish list” of things residents would like to see: let’s hear it for bike lanes, more sidewalks and a dog park…to name a few. The “create your own bike streamer” station was back by popular demand. One visitor designed a streamer for the back of their motorized scooter and was so happy to feel seen!
LEBO GREEN SPEAKER SERIES & E-BIKE TEST RIDES
Earlier this month, Move Lebo was the featured guest for the Lebo Green Speaker Series. Our discussion focused on ways to create safer streets for a more connected community and how to incorporate an e-bike into your daily routine. A very special thank you to our friends at Lebo Green for the invitation and for Adam at Adam Solar Rides for providing the e-bike test rides!
Beth McCabe talked about how it’s essential that children are actively engaged in their community, contributing to the greater good and developing a sense of place. At the same time, it’s essential that they can do so safely, especially as they grow and become independent. Initially drawn to the area for the walkability, she feels frustrated by the lack of safe walking routes for school children, especially along Washington Rd. With a mission to help improve pedestrian safety, she began to collaborate with other like-minded residents, who also desire safer streets and a more connected community. She encouraged attendees to join Move Lebo and help build community capacity to create change.
Andrew Flynn, Mt. Lebanon Commissioner, Ward 5, spoke about people-centric spaces and the power of thoughtful design to evoke a vibe similar to what people seek out in travel destinations. Mt. Lebanon has the potential to become a destination that people visit for an experience, think woonerf/living street. He also discussed the importance of building our community to accommodate all ages, from young to old. Older residents should have the ability to remain in the community, which means they need to be able to move around without the need to drive.
Seth Davis, armed with many facts and figures on the result of fast speeds and increased vehicle size on the survivability of crashes, which really hit home why better street design is needed. Mt. Lebanon road safety strategy, past and present, has focused on improving knowledge of safe transiting, but has done little to change the environment, which is part of the Safe Systems Approach. This system recognizes that people make mistakes and the road design needs to reflect that. Education is just a part of the solution. He also discussed the affordability of bike and pedestrian projects, especially when compared to large highway projects such as the Mon Fayette Expressway, which costs over a billion dollars.
For the e-bike panel discussion, Move Lebo members were joined by Adam of Adam Solar Rides to discuss e-biking basics, including types of bikes and essential gear. A common theme was the use of an e-bike as a car replacement and the utilitarian needs that resulted, such as hauling kids and groceries. Battery safety was also discussed. Battery fires have been in the news lately, but common sense actions such as buying a good quality battery and charger, charging when you are able to supervise, and aiming to keep the battery at room temperature. Also, maintain the battery health by not fully discharging or charging the battery. Optimum range is 20% to 80%.
The highlight of the evening was watching people ride e-bikes for the first time. Adam Solar Rides provided multiple types of e-bikes to try. Everyone wore big grins as they zoomed around the parking lot. The joy was infectious. Hopefully we’ll see some new faces out on the road soon!
CALL TO ACTION!
Right now, we have a crucial opportunity to shape the future of our streets. A number of projects in the draft 2025 Statewide Transportation Improve Program (STIP) will impact Mt. Lebanon residents and our neighboring communities and we need to ensure that the details in Mount Lebanon's Complete Streets Policy are being considered.
Please submit a comment on the draft 2025 STIP. Public comments are a powerful tool for letting elected officials know what issues are most important to you.
Here's how:
Deadline: Be sure to submit your comment by Wednesday, July 3, 2024
What to Say: Here is an example that can be copied and pasted into the form. [Bonus points for adding your own personal story.]
"I am writing to urge you to take a complete streets design approach for projects listed below in the draft 2025 STIP.
Our streets are not just for fast travel by car, but also the connectors to where we live, play, work, shop, or go to school. Mt. Lebanon is a walking community, where many residents, including myself, travel by foot, bike, or transit. However, our current street designs don’t encourage these healthier, more equitable, and greener ways of getting around. Non-existent sidewalks, wide roads, fast traffic, and dangerous intersections are just some of the substandard road designs in our area that make getting around difficult for folks who can’t or choose not to drive, including children and the elderly.
Street design should reflect all users and priorities. That’s why Mt. Lebanon enacted a Complete Streets policy in 2022. This policy calls for best-in-class pedestrian infrastructure, bike lanes, lane diets, and traffic calming tools that make roadways safer for all users. While many of us often drive, we believe well-designed streets focused on walking, biking, rolling, or taking transit also strengthen our community and builds a sense of place. Walkable streets become an economic engine for neighborhoods – providing a destination where folks want to live, work, and play. The result is a win-win. Safer streets bolster resiliency and increase land values while reducing harmful emissions and wear on roads.
With safety, freedom, and economic vitality in mind, I am urging you to consider all road users in the following projects from the draft 2025 STIP. While some of these lie outside of Mt. Lebanon, a connected, regional network is essential to succeed. If we take this opportunity to improve the experience of walking, biking, or taking transit; we build a more resilient region for decades to come.
Selected 2025 STIP Projects
· 75341 - Betterment Reserve Allegheny
· 81700 - SR 19, Gilkeson-McFarland
· 82754 - SPC Region TAU Line Item
· 94645 - West Liberty Ave.
· 94698 - SPC Smart Tr. Initiative
· 97028 - I-376/Banksville Interchange
· 100789 - Saw Mill Run Blvd: PA 88 to I-376
· 113632 - West End Bridge Ramps
· 118882 - Painters Run Road
· 119343 - Banksville Road Reconstruction (edited)”
BIKEPGH ADVOCACY TRAINING
A shout out to our friends at BikePGH for hosting an awesome day long advocacy training. Two of our members attended the event to learn how to effectively build and win an advocacy campaign. It was such a success, they were invited back to present their campaign idea at the quarterly Advocacy Network Gathering. It was great to meet fellow changemakers and get feedback. We’re still ironing out the wrinkles but hope to have more details to share soon!
HAPPY HOUR
Move Lebo hosted its first Happy Hour at East End Brewing and it was a blast! Good beer, good people talking about good design. We’ll continue to host our happy hour on the third Thursday of each month from 5-7 @ East End Brewing. Come out and meet other like-minded friends to plan your next adventure or talk strategy for creating the change you want to see. Hope to see you at the next one!
DESIGN ELEMENT INTRO
We talk a lot about better street design, but what does that mean exactly? Well, the way a street is designed influences how it is used. Imagine that you are driving along a straight stretch of road with a nice, large shoulder. Trees and houses are set back by a few hundred feet, so there’s no obstructions. Your favorite song starts to play and you turn it up to sing along. You look down at the speedometer to discover you are going 15 over. You may think that the conclusion here is that you are a bad driver, but that’s not completely true. The municipality and local traffic engineer also played a part. Paradoxically, the wide lanes and large sight lines installed in the name of safety may make our roads less safe. By designing our streets like interstate highways, we allow drivers to feel comfortable at those speeds in residential areas.
Instead, we want to create streets that make safe driving the default. As an example of a design that induces slow speeds, consider the Squirrel Hill tunnel. It’s two lanes in and two lanes out, but always seemed to be backed up. This is because the tighter feel caused by the tunnel walls compels drivers to proceed cautiously. Similar effects can be accomplished in Mt. Lebanon by creating narrow, tree-lined streets. This helps to make the speed limit of the street intuitive.
Stay in touch via our newsletter as we tackle a different design element each month that can help to create a more livable Mt. Lebanon for all. Traffic calming goes beyond just speed bumps and stops and hopefully by learning about some different options, you will be able to reimagine your street as safer, more vibrant places.
RED LINE WORK
If you are a regular on the T, you are probably well aware about major work being done by the PRT on the red line. For occasional riders, check out the PRT website for alternate routes.
GET INVOLVED
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED TODAY?
- Tell your family and friends about Move Lebo - share this newsletter.
- Join in the convo on Slack.
- Report! a safety issue or concern here!
- Use the power of your words - speak at an upcoming Commissioners Meeting and/or Mobility Board meeting.
-Submit a comment on the draft 2025 STIP [more details above in Call to Action!]
UPCOMING EVENTS:
SIDEWALK CLEAN-UP & BRUNCH AT MEL’S PETITE CAFE:
Saturday, July 13th
10am @ CVS on Cochran Road
MONTHLY MOVE LEBO GENERAL MEETING:
Sunday, July 14th
10am @ Needle and Bean
LEBO GREEN SPEAKER SERIES: FINDING HOPE IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS - WHAT WE CAN DO!
Monday, July 15th
7pm - 8:30pm @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR:
Thursday, July 18th
5pm - 7pm @ East End Brewing
STAY TUNED:
We’re planning a WALK/RUN/RIDE LEBO event for late September/early October. More details coming soon!
Together and Forward
@movelebo | movelebo@gmail.com | www.movelebo.com