Letter to the editor: Let's build friendlier roads for all

I commute daily by bike from my house in Squirrel Hill to my office in North Braddock through five municipalities, and the best part of my commute is the mile between Beacon Street and Beechwood Boulevard across the Fern Hollow Bridge to Forbes Street and South Braddock Avenue. This is the only section of my commute that is intentionally designed for all road users to be safe, and it’s honestly amazing.

There are still interactions with cars, but they’re more predictable. I have to cross from the bike lane on Beechwood into the Forbes Avenue bike track, and the new traffic calming throughout the intersection slows and spaces out cars so it is easy to anticipate where I can cross safely.

There are also interactions with pedestrians, the vast majority friendly. One morning two walkers were so engrossed in their conversation on the bridge’s shared path that they didn’t notice me biking toward them and I had to call out to get their attention. Many apologies and laughter from both sides ensued because we were able to interact face to face, even while moving at different speeds.

So, please let’s build more of this. Let’s rebuild our sense of community one intersection at a time.

Ben Peoples

Squirrel Hill