Oakland street safety to improve

Three, two, one, walk.

In 2003, the Oakland Transportation Management Association worked with… Three, two, one, walk.

In 2003, the Oakland Transportation Management Association worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to improve Oakland intersections.

One of these developments was that pedestrians received the walk signal three seconds before the motorists’ light turned green, giving pedestrians more visibility.

More improvements to ensure pedestrians’ safety will soon take place.

Pitt has been partnering with OTMA and other businesses on the $1 million “Hometown Streets” project to secure pedestrian safety at principal intersections along Fifth and Forbes avenues.

The $1 million came from a PennDOT grant.

Mavis Rainey, executive director of OTMA, said the project is moving forward.

“The intent of the program obviously is to enhance pedestrian safety and mobility throughout Oakland, which is something that we do as a transportation management agency,” she said.

The intersections involved in the project are at the corners of McKee Place, Meyran Street, Atwood Street, Oakland Avenue and South Bouquet Street on both the Fifth and Forbes avenues sides, as well as the intersection at Fifth and Thackeray Street.

OTMA’s website states that every day 100,000 workers, students and visitors as well as over 60,000 automobiles traverse these streets – Oakland has the highest concentration of academic and medical institutions in the state.

Improvements that will take place include streetscape improvements, repainted crosswalks, installation of textured intersection pavement, replacement of handicap ramps, a replacement line for the Fifth Avenue bus lane railing and new traffic lights.

The University of Pittsburgh has spent $250,000 on the planning, engineering and design study for this project. Pitt’s Facilities Management Department will be working on its implementation.

Dan Gilman, city councilman Bill Peduto’s chief of staff, said the councilman has been working with Pitt and OTMA on this issue for nearly three years. He also said that requests for proposals will be sent out to various construction companies in January so that construction can start soon thereafter.