Pittsburgh wins $1.4M state grant for street safety improvements

Pennsylvania officials on Tuesday approved a $1.4 million grant for sidewalk and street safety improvements.

Mayor Bill Peduto's office said $980,000 would be used to build sidewalks where none exist along streets connecting neighborhoods to schools, transit stops, parks and playgrounds.

The remaining $464,000 would be used to pay for the hiring of a full-time coordinator to improve safe walking and bicycling conditions for city school students; to purchase and distribute safety items such as helmets, lights and reflectors; and to expand an after-school bike program.

The Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure suggested the improvements.

“The city is keenly interested in deploying these resources to neighborhoods of the city that have higher concentrations of residents who lack access to an automobile or other private means of travel,” said mobility and infrastructure Director Karina Ricks.

The grant was among 82 transportation projects approved for funding Tuesday by Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards to enhance mobility and public accessibility statewide.

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobbauder.