Off Topic...Peduto to speak at commencement

[Saboteur]

I'll admit that I don't like the guy. Bike lines are fine I suppose but the guy ignores objective findings of others (like the census bureau for one). His hubris before losing the Smart City competition to Columbus, his refusal to consider an offer to buy the PWSA and get water treatment into the hands of someone other than political hacks are but two of my beefs.

But he will be one of two commencement speakers.
Why? If you are graduating, what can this guy who has only worked off other people's taxes tell you?
Or is Pitt trying to stroke his ego?

 

[CaptainMurphy]

He also ignores anything and everything over here in the West End. Well, to be fair, that is every mayor. I'd tolerate Bike Lane Bill if he'd just be a more public advocate for Pitt.

 

[pbrad]

I'll admit that I don't like the guy. Bike lines are fine I suppose but the guy ignores objective findings of others (like the census bureau for one). His hubris before losing the Smart City competition to Columbus, his refusal to consider an offer to buy the PWSA and get water treatment into the hands of someone other than political hacks are but two of my beefs.

But he will be one of two commencement speakers.
Why? If you are graduating, what can this guy who has only worked off other people's taxes tell you?
Or is Pitt trying to stroke his ego?

The ped state people on the BOT want a ped state alum to give the commencement speech at PITT.

 

[paulbl99]

Which one of the Eggheads set this up.....

A crooked politician from Grant St who went to State..
Where do you get a ticket??? Or do the scalpers have them.

 

[Swervin27]

The ped state people on the BOT want a ped state alum to give the commencement speech at PITT.

you cant make this stuff up, I swear.

 

[omega]

He is an idiot. He is going out of his way to chase investment out of the city. That disaster of a land bank has managed to keep 24000 plus vacant properties from getting into the hands of anyone who might fix them.

Seriously, how is this dolt even a candidate to speak at commencement. I bet that Clarion, Slippery Rock, and Robert Morris, all picked better speakers.

 

[pitt2533]

Bike Lane Bill will probably use the opportunity to promote bike lanes going down Forbes and Fifth avenues resulting in them becoming single lane car traffic roads.

 

[rmf05]

I think he graduated or at least took some classes at Pitt's grad school for intl. affairs (GSPIA). I've worked with folks from his office on an almost daily basis. They are all without exception idiots. I'm shocked at the massive amount of money the city wastes on stupid projects while the roads and bridges crumble, petty crime destroys all but the best neighborhoods and business runs away from the city screaming.

I admit, I thought his effort to replace the city's population with Millennials was a logical and wise effort. Unfortunately, it has back-fired badly. His efforts to change up the signalized intersections to LED was ahead of its time and saved the city millions. Yet, his utter dependence on unions and social justice buffoons has completely negated all of that.

 

[rmf05]

Bike Lane Bill will probably use the opportunity to promote bike lanes going down Forbes and Fifth avenues resulting in them becoming single lane car traffic roads.

He'll announce a $150 million dollar project to build an on-campus bike lane?

 

[Panther Parrothead]

The ped state people on the BOT want a ped state alum to give the commencement speech at PITT.

In fairness, he does have a degree from Pitt as well.

But your point is well taken, and considering that he is a Pitt "alumnus", he doesn't exactly bend over backwards for Pitt. I, for one, won't ever be satisfied until they close Bigelow Blvd between Fifth and Forbes. That move by itself would make the University of Pittsburgh a more accommodating place for students and visitors.

 

[Swervin27]

Bike Lane Bill will probably use the opportunity to promote bike lanes going down Forbes and Fifth avenues resulting in them becoming single lane car traffic roads.

Bike lanes are already coming on 5th, it’s already in the works. .

EDIT: Apologies, no bike lanes on fifth or forbes, think they are going on o'hara, bam bam bigelow. good news for bicyclists, the ride to the ER will be short with Oakland's never ending supply of hospitals...

 

[BiggCliff412]

I guess as a policitian theres always someone who is going to hate you. Having met him a few times, I think he is a stand up guy. I dont agree with all his decisions, but bitching about a bike lane is as about as lame as it gets

 

[pittchagg]

Bike lanes are already coming on 5th, it’s already in the works. .

EDIT: Apologies, no bike lanes on fifth or forbes, think they are going on o'hara, bam bam bigelow. good news for bicyclists, the ride to the ER will be short with Oakland's never ending supply of hospitals...

No, the Port Authority is building segregated bike lanes on Fifth Avenue as part of the BRT project - but there won’t be fewer than two car lanes, and large portions of Fifth will remain a three lane road. They’re essentially turning the parking lane on Fifth into a bus lane, and turning the old bus lane into a bike lane. Forbes Avenue will not have a bike lane, but will be a two or three lane road through Central Oakland with the far right lane being turned into a dedicated bus lane.

http://portauthority.org/paac/portals/0/brt/oaklandplot.pdf

 

[paulbl99]

Bike lanes are already coming on 5th, it’s already in the works. .

EDIT: Apologies, no bike lanes on fifth or forbes, think they are going on o'hara, bam bam bigelow. good news for bicyclists, the ride to the ER will be short with Oakland's never ending supply of hospitals...

Bikes (and bikers) are a public nuisance... sb banned or taxed off the roads.

 

[Las Panteras]

Wait a minute....

Pitt (with all of its tax free real estate)....is bringing in a guy who has an insatiable appetite for more taxes.

 

[HailtoPitt]

He'll announce a $150 million dollar project to build an on-campus bike lane?

Let's get real. An on campus bike lane would likely cost about $1 billion. We need to invest in bike scholarships and rent the lanes from the Steelers.

 

[Swervin27]

Bikes (and bikers) are a public nuisance... sb banned or taxed off the roads.

plenty of trails and less busy places to ride a bike in this city. the push to create more bike traffic in downtown, highly populated roads with lots of cars is head scratching. why anyone would want to ride their bike on some of these roads is beyond me.

If I wanted a bike ride, I'd go to a road where I don't have a 25% chance of getting killed, im weird like that. Riding a bike and having to have your head on a swivel from cars doesn't sound all that relaxing.

 

[ERICCARTMAN]

Agree Bigelow needs to be closed permanently. If it would not have been for PITT and UPMC keeping the city afloat in the 1980's, Pittsburgh would have become Youngstown.

 

[Swervin27]

Let's get real. An on campus bike lane would likely cost about $1 billion. We need to invest in bike scholarships and rent the lanes from the Steelers.

1 billion if we owned the land. if not, it's at least 4 billion. plus, these bike lanes would only be used for 4 or 5 months a year, too much of a waste, and don't even get me started on not enough infrastructure for us to get to these bike lanes. We'd need at least 4 major highways built from the north, south, east and west for us all to get to these bike lanes.

 

[paulbl99]

plenty of trails and less busy places to ride a bike in this city. the push to create more bike traffic in downtown, highly populated roads with lots of cars is head scratching. why anyone would want to ride their bike on some of these roads is beyond me.

If I wanted a bike ride, I'd go to a road where I don't have a 25% chance of getting killed, im weird like that. Riding a bike and having to have your head on a swivel from cars doesn't sound all that relaxing.

Go figure.
It’s not hard.....

 

[HailtoPitt]

plenty of trails and less busy places to ride a bike in this city. the push to create more bike traffic in downtown, highly populated roads with lots of cars is head scratching. why anyone would want to ride their bike on some of these roads is beyond me.

If I wanted a bike ride, I'd go to a road where I don't have a 25% chance of getting killed, im weird like that. Riding a bike and having to have your head on a swivel from cars doesn't sound all that relaxing.

Isn't that why they want to create dedicated bike lanes, so that it is safer?

I understand the disagreement with the bike lane stuff, but Peduto and the city seem to have a vision to make the inner core more like a European bike friendly city. Having been to some European bike friendly cities, I agree with Peduto that it would be better to incorporate the bike lanes in with regular traffic even if that means there are fewer lanes for cars. Eventually, I think they want to have one shared transportation infrastructure that allows for cars, buses, walkers and bikes all flowing efficiently. They should be able to successfully make this happen with good planning.

 

[HailtoPitt]

1 billion if we owned the land. if not, it's at least 4 billion. plus, these bike lanes would only be used for 4 or 5 months a year, too much of a waste, and don't even get me started on not enough infrastructure for us to get to these bike lanes. We'd need at least 4 major highways built from the north, south, east and west for us all to get to these bike lanes.

Don't forget... where would people park their bikes?

 

[Swervin27]

Don't forget... where would people park their bikes?

oh geez, that's another billion dollars

 

[Swervin27]

Isn't that why they want to create dedicated bike lanes, so that it is safer?

I understand the disagreement with the bike lane stuff, but Peduto and the city seem to have a vision to make the inner core more like a European bike friendly city. Having been to some European bike friendly cities, I agree with Peduto that it would be better to incorporate the bike lanes in with regular traffic even if that means there are fewer lanes for cars. Eventually, I think they want to have one shared transportation infrastructure that allows for cars, buses, walkers and bikes all flowing efficiently. They should be able to successfully make this happen with good planning.

I think its a tough task with this landscape but im not mad about it, I mean if people want to ride their bike in downtown Pittsburgh, stopping every 24' for lights and cars, have at it. personally, I'd rather ride in less congested areas but im a bit nuts. People want to take their bikes and be one with daily rush hour traffic, that is their god given right.. I guess.

 

[pittchagg]

I think its a tough task with this landscape but im not mad about it, I mean if people want to ride their bike in downtown Pittsburgh, stopping every 24' for lights and cars, have at it. personally, I'd rather ride in less congested areas but im a bit nuts. People want to take their bikes and be one with daily rush hour traffic, that is their god given right.. I guess.

There are a whole lot of people who use a bike as their primary means to commute to work (or school, in Oakland’s case). It’s a little odd to depict all bikers in the city as leisure riders.

 

[paulbl99]

I think its a tough task with this landscape but im not mad about it, I mean if people want to ride their bike in downtown Pittsburgh, stopping every 24' for lights and cars, have at it. personally, I'd rather ride in less congested areas but im a bit nuts. People want to take their bikes and be one with daily rush hour traffic, that is their god given right.. I guess.

This isn’t Fargin 1890.....There’s a reason the Wright Bros dropped their bike business and created flight........

It’s call progress.

 

[Swervin27]

There are a whole lot of people who use a bike as their primary means to commute to work (or school, in Oakland’s case). It’s a little odd to depict all bikers in the city as leisure riders.

i could see some people riding their bike to pitt/cmu living over in shadyside, regent square, east liberty and that part of town. maybe you are right, I have a hard time believing anyone who works in an office is riding their bike to work, I really do.

hey, more people riding and less cars is a good thing so no beef here. I respect bikes, I see them, I drive cautiously, dare I say, I "share" the roads with my fellow man.

 

[CougarClaws]

1 billion if we owned the land. if not, it's at least 4 billion. plus, these bike lanes would only be used for 4 or 5 months a year, too much of a waste, and don't even get me started on not enough infrastructure for us to get to these bike lanes. We'd need at least 4 major highways built from the north, south, east and west for us all to get to these bike lanes.

A moment of clarity here.

Before I got run off the road by an angry driver - because there were few bike lanes at the time, and driver's are hateful in this town - I biked everywhere, 12 months a year. Doing my part to stave off a little bit of climate change, and stay active & healthy in my 40's.

Young people bike because they will be paying the bill for our inability to deal with the realities of global warming, and because they don't have any money, as our generation allowed the "one percenters" to take everything, leaving nothing but scraps for the other 99%.

You all sound like part of the problem. I'll be sure to tell them wippersnappers to get of your lawns at the next bike round up.

 

[Saboteur]

A moment of clarity here.

Before I got run off the road by an angry driver - because there were few bike lanes at the time, and driver's are hateful in this town - I biked everywhere, 12 months a year. Doing my part to stave off a little bit of climate change, and stay active & healthy in my 40's.

Young people bike because they will be paying the bill for our inability to deal with the realities of global warming, and because they don't have any money, as our generation allowed the "one percenters" to take everything, leaving nothing but scraps for the other 99%.

You all sound like part of the problem. I'll be sure to tell them wippersnappers to get of your lawns at the next bike round up.

I don't mind bike lanes...for goodness sake, the PWSA is a disaster both financially and from a public health perspective. I get that he didn't start the mess, but he is perpetuating it.

 

[HailtoPitt]

A moment of clarity here.

Before I got run off the road by an angry driver - because there were few bike lanes at the time, and driver's are hateful in this town - I biked everywhere, 12 months a year. Doing my part to stave off a little bit of climate change, and stay active & healthy in my 40's.

Young people bike because they will be paying the bill for our inability to deal with the realities of global warming, and because they don't have any money, as our generation allowed the "one percenters" to take everything, leaving nothing but scraps for the other 99%.

You all sound like part of the problem. I'll be sure to tell them wippersnappers to get of your lawns at the next bike round up.

Replies to this totally reasonable post should be fun.

 

[CougarClaws]

I don't mind bike lanes...for goodness sake, the PWSA is a disaster both financially and from a public health perspective. I get that he didn't start the mess, but he is perpetuating it.

Yah I am not much of a Peduto fan either. At least it's better than having a Ravenstahl in there breaking every ethics rule he can find. Buddy of mine got hired at PWSA, and he can't believe how poorly managed it is. This, coming from a guy who worked in city government for decades.

 

[upj87]

There are a whole lot of people who use a bike as their primary means to commute to work (or school, in Oakland’s case). It’s a little odd to depict all bikers in the city as leisure riders.

but really not that odd to depict all bikers as a pain in the azz...bikes sharing the roads with cars they cannot possible keep up with disrupt mechanized traffic patterns no matter how noble the intentions or needs of the riders are. ..they are second only to The Drake on my hate list..

btw..avid biker myself...love those rails to trails deals...

 

[Swervin27]

Replies to this totally reasonable post should be fun.

it's so much nonsense in there that I don't know where to start, thus i'll save myself the grief and assume it is all sarcasm..

 

[paulbl99]

it's so much nonsense in there that I don't know where to start, thus i'll save myself the grief and assume it is all sarcasm..

Hey you’re bouncing off all the walls today....
Lol

But give it a break...the guy thinks anything we do is going to change things , like turning back the clock 120 yrs or bevoming Ho Chi Minh City

...here in January in April..... go ahead

Haven’t heard much about the weather lately...glad to see it in play.

 

[WiseAndGlorious]

I don’t agree with Peduto on everything but I’ll never understand the crying over bike lanes. Yes trails are nice but protected lanes allow bikers to ride safely within the city where trails aren’t possible. They make commuting safer and are a nice amenity that recreational riders can enjoy with greater peace of mind. The cost is negligible in the scheme of city budget. And for the dinosaurs here, bike lanes aren’t some socialist European plot. Go to any major city and you’ll see them.

 

[Parkview57]

Having met him a few times, I think he is a stand up guy.

I don't understand how people feel important if a politician gives them some hand shake and slap on the back. This is what politicians do. The guy takes the money from hard working people to give it away to those who don't work... I cannot figure out how any one thinks this works except the politicians who know it will work long enough to put themselves on easy street.

But saying all that, he is the mayor of the city, so I cannot fault the leadership for pursuing him to speak.

 

[Saboteur]

Wait a minute....

Pitt (with all of its tax free real estate)....is bringing in a guy who has an insatiable appetite for more taxes.

I've advocated Pitt move as much out of the city as possible for years. I would start with the hospitals and move them to places people can get to..somewhere off the new 576 for instance. If the elite in the city want to drive, they can...then let the custodial worker get jobs with the city. I'm with you 150%, Pitt is no good for the city and should move.

 

[upj87]

I don’t agree with Peduto on everything but I’ll never understand the crying over bike lanes. Yes trails are nice but protected lanes allow bikers to ride safely within the city where trails aren’t possible. They make commuting safer and are a nice amenity that recreational riders can enjoy with greater peace of mind. The cost is negligible in the scheme of city budget.

The cost is negligible in the scheme of city budget....there is no such thing as a negiblie cost in a budget unless you have large surpluses and no tax increases...

if increased safety is the issue, taking the bus makes commuting safer also...

 

[paulbl99]

I've advocated Pitt move as much out of the city as possible for years. I would start with the hospitals and move them to places people can get to..somewhere off the new 576 for instance. If the elite in the city want to drive, they can...then let the custodial worker get jobs with the city. I'm with you 150%, Pitt is no good for the city and should move.

Pitt should move
Agree

 

[pittchagg]

I've advocated Pitt move as much out of the city as possible for years. I would start with the hospitals and move them to places people can get to..somewhere off the new 576 for instance. If the elite in the city want to drive, they can...then let the custodial worker get jobs with the city. I'm with you 150%, Pitt is no good for the city and should move.

Good heavens, this is a terrible opinion. You could have shortened your post by saying “I want to take away Pitt’s most advantageous position and biggest selling point by rebuilding it in the hinterlands out near a toll road.”