You know... I've often wondered why on earth there's no curb cut there.
2009-07-30 00:29:13
11
Nice move onto 31st Street Bridge Sidewalk
I was at the never-ending stoplight on River Avenue at the bridge to Washington's Landing just before 6:00 on Monday night (in my car). Two cyclists come past, also heading to the 31st Street Bridge. Wisely, they run the red light at the road onto the Island.
I catch up with them as we approach the 31st Street Bridge. Just as we are all about to turn right, onto the bridge, one of the cyclists makes an awesome move from the street onto the sidewalk.
It's a smooth and ultra-quick, right foot on curb, lift front wheel, downstroke with the left foot. There wasn't a single wasted move; no clumsiness, no stutter in the motion. Just step, lift, pedal. Obviously, this guy had done it a time or two.
Pretty awesome to watch.
2009-07-29 18:19:22
nice. I can't claim to be the most graceful bicyclist. my dental insurance isn't good enough to think about learning such a maneuver.
oh, and scott, the printed map makes it look like you can access the 31st street bridge directly from washington's landing.
2009-07-30 00:49:42
Scott, when PennDot had their "community meeting" about the plans to rehab the 31st bridge, the WPW sent two representatives. The plans included curb cuts everywhere you would want one. But between the promises and the final product is always a long time - five years or so in the case of the bridge - so stuff gets left out, and there never seems to be a way or a will to hold anybody accountable. "Trust us", they say, but they deftly avoid any legally binding commitment.
2009-07-30 03:24:15
How is it even legal for the city to replace the bridge deck and sidewalk without a curb cut? The American's with Disabilities Act is nearly 20 years old.
2009-07-30 11:57:10
not the city, brad, the state. Not that it changes your point.
2009-07-30 12:29:32
that area wasn't part of the contract with PennDOT. the span between herr's island and river avenue terminates just before that corner. Convenient, eh?
I believe this area, which is part of the river avenue approach, is within the rte. 28 reconstruction: the river avenue approach and the unrehabilitated 31st span between the approach and rte. 28. It's convoluted, for sure, but that's District 11's M.O.
2009-07-30 12:31:39
Huh. As I recall, the architectural drawings that were presented did in fact show the entire length of the sidewalk and curb cuts. Of course, the drawings aren't a contract, which makes it easy to perform sleight-of-land. George Schmidt was also present at that meeting, perhaps he remembers differently.
2009-07-30 13:57:20
this is a common occurrence in the city - a developer or penndot makes promises at public meetings that they don't hold to. it's something that we've been struggling with trying to figure out how to deal with the situation. since there is no accountability legally, it seems that the only people that they are accountable to are the people that they lied to.
2009-07-30 14:11:05
I swung by yesterday and that area is definitely City of Pittsburgh. A nice telltale in any of these situations are the signs. penndot, counties and cities all mark their signs with a logo/seal or by name on the face of the sign. It's territorial and required in these litigious times.
Just so your anger and frustration isn't misplaced.
2009-07-31 12:02:19
Noted, and comment above retracted...
2009-07-31 14:48:42