A new Pittsburgh initiative aims to make it easier for pedestrians to navigate the city’s streets and find local landmarks with the help of informational kiosks.
The Pittsburgh Pedestrian Wayfinding Project will establish a system that highlights key landmarks and makes it easier for residents and visitors to navigate four of Pittsburgh’s key business districts. The program will launch in Downtown, Oakland, the North Side and the North Shore, though it may expand to other neighborhoods in future phases.
The initiative will include more than 50 kiosks and 110 directional signs throughout the four neighborhoods.
“I am proud to advance this community-driven project as a solution to help residents and visitors better navigate Pittsburgh’s unique topography, bridges and rivers,” Mayor Bill Peduto said. “This pedestrian wayfinding system will help connect the city and celebrate what each neighborhood has to offer, with a uniquely Pittsburgh design.”
Peduto introduced a measure to City Council Tuesday that would allow the city to accept $1.4 million in funding provided by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program to cover the cost of the first phase of the project.
The system was developed through collaboration between the city and local stakeholders including the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the Oakland Business Improvement District, the Oakland Transportation Management Association, Walk Ride Northside, Northside Cultural Collaborative, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC.
Thousands of residents and stakeholders have participated in the engagement process, according to Peduto’s office. More than $700,000 in private funds have paid for collaborate stakeholder workshops, presentations and site visits.
The Art Commission has held reviews throughout the process, aiming to build consensus on the sign design, programming and other elements of the project.
Installation is scheduled to begin in fall 2022.
