http://www.billpeduto.com/upmc-shadyside-hospital-campus-master-plan/?ref=nf
Intersting that under "Accident Data" they write "Not Applicable." I'd be interested in seeing what current conditions are on Baum and Centre in terms of crashes and then run it through a predictive model of adding another 1000+ cars to the area.
I don't see much of anything about making pedestrians or cyclers safe on the street. No mention of traffic calming, bike lanes, etc. They only conduct a unimodal level of service analysis and only assume car traffic volumes for 2021, and only briefly mention transit service and the fact that they're putting bike racks in all new construction per the zoning code. One of the elements of the plan predicts intersections (with parking mitigation, meaning removing parking on Baum) being in the 95 percentile in traffic flow. I don't know about you but I'm not super interested in maximizing traffic flow through here. Safety is paramount. They do say they are going to restripe crosswalks. However, I don't think the current crosswalks are a very good design at all, so merely restriping them isn't going to do anything to make this corridor look and feel like a safe, walkable area.
That area is one of the worst areas during any rush hour trip I take. I was hit, or rather I hit a car at Baum and Aiken. Drivers are aggressive, impatient and it's congested with both cars and pedestrians. Not to mention filled with people who aren't used to driving in the city.
yes its bad there my bus route goes right down centre past shadyside hospital
"Shuttle traffic will be reduced as more parking is made available on the Shadyside campus."
Well there will be less shuttles at least.
So funny.
The parking garage for employees strikes me as a just because we have money to spend sort of construction project.
Shadyside Hospital already has 3 full size parking garages and a large employee parking lot. In the time I've worked there non of them have ever been full.
Before too much spleen venting happens, save yourselves for the next steps in the process: "Accordingto John Innocenti, UPMC Shadyside’s president, “the next step is to schedule a public hearing before the Planning Commission early next year, followed by another public hearing before city council.” However, community groups, including the Baum Centre Initiative and Shadyside Action Coalition, plan to oppose a plan to rezone hospital properties in the area."
kinda funny UPMC wants to build an outpatient facility very near the existing Med-Express. so jelly...
i suspect UPMC will begin a slow outward migration from the city, and much of these buildings in their plan won't be built.
we'll still be biking, though with less "foreign" traffic.
If they weren't a non-profit*, one might accuse them of ginning up some extra business with more injured pedestrians and cyclists. Much better for the bottom line!
*hahahahahahahahahahaha
The absolute closest I ever came to getting creamed by a car was at that garage on Aiken. I was heading from Centre->5th, moving at a pretty good clip. There was a car exiting the garage waiting to turn left - ok, no problem. What I didn't anticipate was the asswipe who came out of the second exit (further from Centre) and made a left around the waiting car, directly in front of me. I honestly don't really know how I avoided it, I turned right towards the sidewalk and luckily for me the driver was flooring it and too big of an asswipe to use the brakes so I managed to clear the rear of the car. Still, IIRC I almost hit a ped before I could get stopped so it wasn't the smartest maneuver.
