Is there an email address we can use? or are they trapped in the 19th century?
2017-11-09 19:53:37
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Letter writing campaign to increase bike/peds access to the Waterworks
Background is that Aspinwall Borough has proposed and St. Margaret has agreed to pay for an ADA compliant walkway between where the Freeport Road sidewalk ends at St. Margaret and where the Waterworks property begins.
J.J. Gumberg, no friend to bike/peds causes, has refused to let the walkway be built even though they wouldn't need to do anything.
Aspinwall residents have organized a letter writing campaign. A sample letter is attached. Please consider writing a letter to J.J. Gumberg to help convince them to "do the right thing."
Mr. Gumberg
C/o J.J. Gumberg Co.
Brinton Executive Center
1051 Brinton Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15221
Dear Mr. Gumberg:
I’m writing to you as a ______ resident and also a frequent patron of the Waterworks shopping center. It’s my hope that you would reconsider your decision regarding the suggested walkway proposed by the Aspinwall Borough Council.
It’s our understanding that not only do the Waterworks tenants support safer and easier access to your shopping center, but UPMC St. Margaret’s Hospital is willing to cover all of the design and construction costs for the walkway.
The current walkway that our residents must use crosses two very busy intersections and is not safe for strollers or handicapped individuals, let alone general pedestrian traffic.
All we are looking for is a safer and easier way to access your shopping center.
I urge you to work in partnership with Aspinwall Borough and UPMC St Margaret’s to allow them to construct a safer walkway for all pedestrians.
Sincerely,
2017-11-09 17:56:39
Why would anyone be opposed to safe pedestrian access? I go there all the time on my bike and there are bike racks despite signage stations "No Bicycles" The no skateboards and roller blades can remain. The Giant Eagle store has a really nice rack that I lock up to all the time.
2017-11-09 20:02:09
@edronline, can you draw on this https://goo.gl/maps/jifAcBKgniT2 where the sidewalk would be? Is this an extension of the sidewalk on the north side of Freeport Rd?
2017-11-09 20:09:50
I'm not sure,. honestly. It was brought up at an Aspinwall borough meeting and I piggy backed off the letter writing effort on the Aspinwall Facebook page. I think k the ramps would at least get people from the end of the st Margaret sidewalk into the taco Bell parking lot. If not further.
And gumberg has always been anti bike/peds. It took giant eagle years of pushing to get them to install bike racks. Years of pushing.
2017-11-09 20:20:42
There is a shoulder after the on bothe sides of Freeport Rd. between St. Margaret Dr. and the entrance into Walnut Grill. There are also crosswalks and pedestrian signals at the entrance west of Eat 'n Park, and, the entrance east of PNC Bank and the ramp from Rt. 28. There is also a sidewalk from the northeast corner of the Eat 'n Park entrance into the Eat 'n Park parking lot.
Coming from St. Margaret Dr.,
- Cross Taco Bell driveway, Key Bank driveway, Giant Eagle entrance, Citizens Bank driveway, and Pier One driveway.
- Cross Eat 'n Park entrance and use sidewalk for access to Eat 'n Park parking lot and other nearby facilities.
- Press crosswalk button to cross Freeport Rd.
- At the next traffic light, cross back over Freeport Rd. and continue to other destinations.
2017-11-09 20:28:49
The issue is that people in wheelchairs and people with strollers shouldn't have to walk on Freeport road or up driveways to get into the Waterworks. Especially when other people are willing to foot the bill for the entire thing, making it free for the landlord.
2017-11-09 21:52:46
There used to be a hole in the fence at the back corner of the Waterworks parking lot (behind the movie theater) that let you into the St. Margaret's parking lot. It was a nice shortcut that would allow you to completely avoid Freeport coming from Aspinwall, as you could cut over from Delafield.
They fixed the fence about a year ago, but if Gumburg won't consent to the access point from Freeport, maybe this would be an alternative spot to make the Waterworks more accessible? Has he given any reason for his opposition?
2017-11-10 10:00:34
Not that I know of. I think he just said no and that's it.
There's liability issues with a hole in a fence between two roadways. Also the curbs aren't helpful for people in wheelchairs.
2017-11-10 10:13:39
I wrote a letter to Gumberg. Everyone should.
2017-11-10 16:14:32
My impression from trying to get bike racks at the waterfront is that he's a bit of a jerk.
2017-11-10 16:35:06