Pittsburgh’s effort to slow down traffic and improve safety moves to Garfield this week.
Crews will begin work Thursday to install five speed humps and two speed tables on Schenley Avenue and North Mathilda Street to slow traffic. Traffic studies in 2021 on Schenley showed 67% of drivers exceeding the speed limit of 25 miles an hour and in 2023 on North Mathilda 74% were above the speed limit in the residential neighborhood.
The changes to the road surface are designed to reduce speed. Speed humps are 3 to 4 inches high and 3 to 6 feet long while speed tables are 3 to 3½ inches high and 22 feet long.
The humps will be installed on Schenley Avenue between Stieb Way and Columbo Street, between Columbo and Aisbett Way, between Columbo and North Pacific Avenue and between Fern Circle and Mossfield Street; and on North Mathilda between Breersport and Stieb Way.
In addition to slowing traffic, the speed tables will be installed between Columbo and Mossfield streets for easier boarding of Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses.
The work also will include painting lines to discourage parking on sidewalks.
Flaggers will allow alternating traffic on the streets during the work, which should take two days. Street signs and road markings will alert drivers to the humps and tables.
The project is part of Mayor Ed Gainey’s Vision Zero program to eliminate fatal traffic accidents in the city.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.