In this blog, I have shared many of my travels to the most amazing cities of Europe and cycling adventures in the hills of Tuscany and Appalachia. This blog post lacks the glamour of those previous. The camera is pointed at things that one typically does not point cameras.
Pittsburghers boast very highly in our city. We boast about natural beauty, healthcare, technology, higher education, culinary bliss, and of course, our sports teams (which are the best, by the way.) Recently, there was a
travel video highlighting the best of the 'Burgh. While riding a healthy ride bikeshare bike, he stated that we are a bike friendly city. It is true that in the context of bicycle friendliness, we have made strides in the past decade. BikePGH is doing wonderful advocacy work, and the city itself will soon adopt a 'complete streets' policy. But what caught my attention in that video was that the statement about our bike friendliness was made while cycling across the Ft.Pitt Bridge to the incline. The Pedestrian/Bike path on this bridge is not even wide enough for two bicycles to pass each other
The sidewalk has cracks in it.
One of the landmarks of the city, the Duquesne Incline boasts classic steel aesthetic and structure into this funicular rail. It includes a walkway that spans over Carson Street.
If you plan on using the sidewalk, this is all you get.
On the other side of the stair, is Carson Street. Four wide open lanes, a nearby interstate highway, and a large divider in between paths of travel. Sidewalk conditions are eroded.
Continuing further west on Carson Street, is this massive building, which from a distance looks more like a beached aircraft carrier, to compliment the USS Requin submarine, moored across the river at the Science Center. This leviathan of a building is the 'Gateway View Plaza'. That name in itself symbolizes everything it is not. It is more of a wall than a gateway. There is a view from the parking deck, but from Carson Street, it takes away a pristine view to Downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore. Also, from a traditional sense of the word, this is not a plaza. (Defined as a public square, marketplace, or similar open space in a built-up area, OR a shopping center.) This building is incredibly uninviting.
This is the view to Downtown and the North Shore, right in front of Gateway View Plaza.
Crumbling narrow sidewalks, rusted impaler fences, oppressive architecture, zooming cars; the gateway to the west.
Assumption - they were going to do work, but then didn't want to anymore, so they left this sign in the sidewalk, putting the pedestrian dangerously close to the roadway and speeding motorists. It does not feel very safe at all to walk here.
One noteworthy bit of information - these images were taken on my evening commute. Yes, this is evening rush hour traffic. The four lanes are entirely too much for how much this roadway is used during most times. - most people probably just take the parkway in the evening. (More on that later)
A bit past the oppressively monumental Gateway View Plaza is this scene, part of a run down commercial fueling station.
The landscape architecture design around Gateway View Plaza is entirely rubbish.
This is what becomes of the sidewalk to the West End Bridge along the West End Circle bypass.
A run down building. Perhaps Verizon has a plan for what to do with it.
The ramp up to the West end circle - I tried cycling it a few times. It was terrible. One time I got yelled at by a guy towing a boat. To go to the west end, you need to take the left lane. That experience is sufficiently unenjoyable.
Automotive junkyard.
This building hosts a stained glass studio. They have a mural and cool sculptures on top of their building, and a nifty hanging sign.
Barbed wire, rust, and broken glass. The Pittsburgh not typically photographed.
See, this guy is riding a bike! I'm not the only one! I'm not crazy!
West End Circle bypass, where the steps to the bridge can be seen. Pretty comfortable space, besides the weeds, dirt. and crumbling concrete. There are no cars since the road is closed ahead. Felt very safe walking the road to the barrier to take this photo. I'm sure that will not be the case when the bypass re-opens.
AMO - to my disappointment, this is not the secret branch of OMA and Rem Koolhaas' research think tank, but a steel grinding and polishing company.
West End Bridge - the gateway (?) to the west. A few people were fishing up ahead by the river.
Railroad tracks behind AMO.
Rusty barbed wire fences, shopping carts of junk, weeds, random scrap steel, and my bicycle.
This is the terminus of Saw Mill Run, a creek that flows into the Ohio River from the West End and behind Mt.Washington.
Back under the bridge and looking towards the bypass and the stairs that lead to the western half of the bridge.
Above, the steel structure and deck is a beautiful example of pittsburghese-yinzer-traffic engineering.
Evidence of homelessness. :(
Road Closed, overgrowth of plants, sunset, a river, and a train. Something beautiful with a hint of dystopia.
Excellence in aforementioned pittsburghese-yinzer-traffic engineering - the West End Circle. One noteworthy aspect is the tight chain link fence. When the narrow path curves, you cannot actually see through the fence and around the bend.
You can only see through the fence when you look straight at it, not from an angle.
This is the existing condition. Is it a good place to walk?
Looking back down to the bypass.
Once again, it must be noted this is around 630, rush hour should be in effect. Minimal cars. While cycling, it is best to take the center lane to be dropped into the west end, not the most pleasant of experiences. You WILL pedal fast though. Walking this section is not too bad. Right here, the sidewalk width is appreciated.
This is the empty land formed by the two main road clusterfudges of the west end circle.
View to Saw Mill Run, also billboards advertising to Walts who run across three lanes of traffic to get to the undeveloped section between two highway-wannabe clusters.
This is the sidewalk leading to the west end.
Walking around this madness is the only way to get from the West End and the western neighborhoods to anywhere on the Southside, Northside, or Downtown. Who thought this was a good thing? This is the gateway to the west.
This path goes under that one bridge. It exists mainly as an untrimmed band-aid to the cluster of autocentric design to follow. The path is too steep to be considered ADA accessible. The sign says to use the precarious crosswalks across traffic.
Tall fences and brutal concrete. Very unwelcoming.
A reference to Aldo Rossi is required here. This antique shop spanning over the creek is certainly an urban artifact.
After the mess that is Carson Street, the West End Bridge, and the West end circle, you finally arrive in this pleasant little valley neighborhood.
The West End was recently a part of Pittsburgh's Open Streets event. I missed the event, but all reports I have read made it sound quite successful.
The West end is home to some great streets, and beautiful historic architecture.
Goodnight from the West End!
Good morning from the West End!
While your attention may be to this magnificent church, i would like to re-direct it to the line of automobiles trying to avoid Ft.Pitt tunnel traffic.
Avoiding Ft.Pitt Tunnel traffic by becoming traffic - the same traffic they tried to avoid.
Stressed out and hurried drivers mercilessly force themselves through a quagmire of lanes, slowly making their way toward the Ohio River.
At this intersection there is a terrible tey universally accepted phenomenon of turning left on red without even thinking about it. The walk sign signals don't make very much sense. Even if there is a red light and a walk sign, who is to stop a crazy left-on-red driver from not noticing them? It is a murder waiting to happen.
Autos line up hurriedly to sit at a light. Beyond is W.Carson Street. The down ramp leads to the Ft.Pitt Bridge, my typical commute into town. It is incredibly dangerous since the ramp feeds you into the left lane. I have found that it is best to pray for slow traffic and simply try to keep up and maintain the left lane, since the turn to the sidewalk leading to the bridge is a left about a half mile up ahead. Incredibly dangerous.
The other way to go is to cross the West End Bridge on this undignified walkpath. Generally speaking, this alternative path is to be avoided, as automobiles slam their mirrors off the bridge and there is broken glass all over the walk path. I don't want a flat tire on the way to work.
The whole summer, I would see this crushed can on the walkpath. I would sing along.
"Colt 45 and two zig zaggs, baby that's all we need!..."
Once you go over the crest of the bridge and go downhill toward the North Shore, it is possible to gather an incredible amount of speed. However this is dangerous, because one is unable to see around the fence links at the oblique angle.
Just around the bend, are steps which suddenly drop off. One can assume that if you pick up enough speed, entirely reasonable, and that the bicycle's brakes were not well adjusted, considerable harm could result. One can also assume based on signage, that if you pick up enough speed, jump the rail, you could land at the casino.
This is the path to the other side of the bridge. It goes under the bridge deck, is loaded with trash, has the difficult chain-link fence, and is elevated quite high off the ground. It is about as uninviting as one could ever imagine.
One can imagine the designer of this pedestrian path did not have people in mind. There is no proper accessible or dignified way to reach the riverfront from the bridge.
Coming from the North Side, this is the pedestrian path to cross the West End Bridge. The lovely city road quickly turns into a highway, and the pedestrians and bicycles are left with little room or direction at all.
The West End bridge offers spectacular views of the city.
The paint is a tad rusty, but it matches the frame color of my bicycle.
This is along West Carson Street. I found a broken piece of steel, probably used for a road drain. Note the recreational runners. People negotiate this rubbish piece of infrastructural residue. It is about time we actually create an environment good for recreation, that encourages people to travel along this section of riverfront.
