Some Commuters Upset Over Addition Of Bike Lane On E. Carson St.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A stretch of East Carson Street near Station Square will soon look a lot different.
A bike lane is in the works, but not everyone is on board with the plan.
The area has become a popular spot for free parking. During the work week, you can see vehicles lined up along this old stone wall. But that sight is about to change.
"That stretch of Carson Street is simply too narrow to have on-street parking," says Joanna Doven, the spokesperson for the City of Pittsburgh. "It does not pass safety guidelines with regard to state laws, so the plan is to make one section of it available for bike parking and bike riding."
The bike lane will be on the outbound side of the street. City leaders say not only will it help keep people safe, but it will promote bicycle activity and all the benefits that go with it.
"It's really about Pittsburgh quality of life, encouraging more young people to live in the city," said Doven. "Part of that is having a lot of bikes in Pittsburgh and we've been promoting that."
"Although this is good news for people who ride their bikes, it's quite the opposite for all the people who park along the street.
Those drivers will have to find other locations and may end up paying for parking.
"I think it's a little silly," said Yuliya Shokina, who parks on East Carson Street. "It's dangerous for a bike lane to be here anyways, so I won't have a place to park. I don't like it."
"I really enjoy biking a lot, but there is a bike lane that goes right down by the river; so it's kind of redundant to have two like that," added Racheal Kimmy, who lives in the area. "Plus, it's just going to make the situation that much worse."
Despite opposition, the city plans to move forward with the bike lane by the end of the month.
The lane will connect the Smithfield and Hot Metal Bridges.
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