Sidewalks might be the most overlooked part of Pittsburgh\u2019s transportation network, but they\u2019re also the piece of infrastructure residents use most \u2014 from downtown workers dodging construction cones to suburban parents pushing strollers. Advocates said years of disinvestment, combined with a wave of projects that close or narrow walkways, have left many people choosing between navigating broken concrete or stepping into the street.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Pittsburgh Walks\u00a0coalition is working to put sidewalks back at the center of the city\u2019s safety conversation. Through its Safe Sidewalks Crew, volunteers are cataloging the condition of blocks across the city using a simple phone-based web form, noting cracked pavement, missing curb ramps, construction detours and places where sidewalks disappear altogether. The coalition\u2019s Safe Sidewalks\u00a0program page<\/a>\u00a0lays out how that work is organized and how it ties into broader efforts around accessibility and equity.<\/p>\n More: North Park\u2019s packed summer reshapes life in the North Hills<\/a><\/p>\n More: Pitt\u2019s record growth reshapes Oakland with new dorms, more students<\/a><\/p>\n More: Pittsburgh bans new vape shops in neighborhood business districts<\/a><\/p>\n All of that information is feeding into a growing data set. An online\u00a0dashboard<\/a>\u00a0and interactive\u00a0survey map<\/a>\u00a0show where sidewalks are in the worst shape and where a few targeted fixes \u2014 like repairing an ADA curb ramp \u2014 could create a safer route to a grocery store or bus stop for an entire neighborhood. A running\u00a0leaderboard<\/a>\u00a0highlights which volunteers and neighborhoods have covered the most ground, while the coalition\u2019s\u00a0FAQ<\/a>\u00a0walks newcomers through how the project works and what to expect in the field.<\/p>\n Residents who want to help can sign up for virtual trainings and in\u2011person survey walks directly through the Safe Sidewalks Crew form on the main website<\/a>, then grab a phone, pick a route and start mapping the sidewalks they use every day.<\/p>\n This story was created with the\u00a0assistance\u00a0of Artificial Intelligence (AI).\u00a0Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review,\u00a0editing\u00a0and publishing process.\u00a0Learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n