Guest Blog Post: Bloomfield Development Corporation is Creating a set of Mobility Principles

At the intersection at the Bloomfield bridge and Liberty Ave

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and words of the below guest blog post do not necessarily represent or express those of BikePGH. They are solely those of the author. 

Mobility Principles to guide and advocate for community’s housing and transportation priorities in future developments

Guest Blog Post by Sam Spearing, Program Coordinator at Bloomfield Development Corporation

Bloomfield Development Corporation (BDC) is excited to announce a project to create Mobility Principles for the Bloomfield neighborhood. Through generous funding from the Heinz Endowments*, BDC will engage the community in conversations around transportation with the goal of creating clear priorities for any future neighborhood development. The Mobility Principles will center on the Bloomfield Bridge intersection expanding along Liberty Avenue and Main Street. Bloomfield Development Corporation will use the Mobility Principles to advocate for transportation infrastructure and real estate development that universally supports all residents of the neighborhood. The result of this advocacy will be to improve the neighborhood’s street design and increase the overall livability, making Bloomfield a safe place to live, work and walk for all users.

As part of this project BDC aims to increase safety for all street users.

With a significant population of older neighbors, along with as several schools in the neighborhood, ensuring that people of all ages can travel safely through the neighborhood is important. With bike lanes, several bus routes, and a relatively flat geography, Bloomfield already has several advantages when it comes to mobility.

Bruce from Bloomfield Livable Streets

In several surveys within the last three years, BDC heard residents express concern about pedestrian safety at the Bloomfield Bridge intersection and throughout the neighborhood. This important intersection serves tens of thousands of cars each day as well as being an important junction for transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists. Improving the intersection’s safety will better protect children walking to local schools. Older adults also frequently travel through the intersection from one side of Bloomfield to the other to access doctor’s offices, grocery shopping, and other vital destinations. However, many crossings in Bloomfield are inaccessible or unsafe to our vulnerable residents. The Mobility Principles aim to increase safety for all users while also building cohesive and walkable community connections; ensuring there are safe connections between North and South Bloomfield as well as to sites such as Sciullo Park.

Beyond travel within the neighborhood, connections to other areas of the city are also important. The Mobility Principles will create a strong base for advocacy to ensure public transit is an affordable and accessible means of reaching employment outside of the neighborhood. Improving walkability to transit routes and providing infrastructure such as seating will improve the public transit experience. Consideration for all modes of transportation will help to ensure that all Bloomfield residents have access to affordable and accessible means of mobility.

A consultant to lead the process is currently being chosen, and community meetings will begin in early 2020. In the meantime, contact Sam if you have any questions or want to get involved.

*The Heinz Endowments is devoted to the mission of helping our region prosper as a vibrant center of creativity, learning, and social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Core to our work is the vision of a just community where all are included and where everyone who calls southwestern Pennsylvania home has a real and meaningful opportunity to thrive.


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