Letter to the editor: Improvements to Penn Avenue sorely needed

I love the Strip. It’s probably the most Pittsburgh neighborhood. It represents old and new, tradition and potential. It’s where I do much of my shopping, where I take out-of-towners and where I go when I really need a coffee. I am there at 6 a.m. on the coldest Christmas Eve morning. It’s a big part of my family’s life.

But getting there is the worst part of the Strip. Do we even know how many lanes there are on Penn Avenue? What’s the speed limit? It can be a dangerous drag strip any time of the day. Let’s face it, Penn Avenue isn’t the right size, and the city’s development project is sorely needed.

There is plenty of evidence that traffic calming and adding bike lanes (all done without eliminating any parking) would be a boost to businesses and make the neighborhood safer. I hope we can finish this project before the NFL Draft next year and show the country that Pittsburgh is a modern, growing city.

Ben Long

Lawrenceville