With Open Streets, The City Streets are Switching Gears
By Layla Joseph
OpenStreetsPGH is a series of summer events that allows community members to experience the city in an unconventional way, while encouraging the people of Pittsburgh to see busy streets as a place for people.
The event allows Pittsburghers to engage in the city with an atypical perspective, closing roads to traffic and using the streets to host a variety of vendors, activities and room for people to roam at their own pace.
The initiative is organized by BikePGH, a nonprofit that advocates for pedestrians who walk and pedal around the city, and made possible with the support of UPMC Health Plan.
Established in 2002, the goal of BikePGH has been to convert the city streets to be safe and accessible for community members who commute on foot.
The organization hopes to educate drivers and riders to navigate the city confidently, advocates for walkability in the city and organizes community outreach with events and memberships.
Julie Walsh, the Communications and Marketing Manager at BikePGH, said she is excited for what OpenStreetsPGH has to offer.
“The sense of community is truly remarkable,” she said. “It’s a great way to see so many people come together over car-free streets. With a vast array of activities, there is something for everyone.”
The event takes place on three different Sundays this summer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The first event was held May 28, but if you missed it, mark your calendars now for June 25 and July 11. The events, which have been happening annually in Pittsburgh for almost a decade, are free to attend and do not require tickets or registration.
The first event of the series took place on the North Shore and moved to East Carson Street, including a stroll, ride or run through the Armstrong Tunnel.
The route, which changes for each event, provides entertainment and exercise for people of all ages. With four activity hubs and additional vendors and activities along the route, there are plenty of attractions to captivate the community.
Adults and children can enjoy live music, crafts, carnival games, contests, sweet treats and unique opportunities.
Along the route and among the hubs on May 28 was a booth by the Pittsburgh Steelers, a meet-and-greet with Steely McBeam, a mini BMX course, creative creations from Chalk Fest, a silk-screening activity and over 50 other booths and sidewalk shops.
Walsh said that the turn-out for the first event had tens of thousands of people who walked, biked or rolled from the North Shore to the South Side and attributed some of its success to the beautiful weather.
“The guest turnout might have been our best ever,” she said.
While kids could appreciate Hawaiian shaved ice and bubble tea, adults were able to indulge in drink specials from Voodoo Brewing and Mike’s Beer Bar.
Pittsburghers looking to participate on June 25 can expect a four mile route that stretches from Northside, through the Strip District and ending in Lawrenceville.
