Pittsburgh takes steps to slow Federal Street traffic on the North Side

A block of Federal Street in the Central North Side is the latest Pittsburgh street to get traffic calming measures and safety improvements.

City crews began work Monday to install new ADA ramps in the area where Parkhurst Street meets Federal Street, about two blocks north of North Avenue near the Allegheny Health Network outpatient facility. The entire project will include painted bump-outs to make it easier for pedestrians to see traffic and installing a raised crosswalk for pedestrians crossing Federal at Parkhurst.

Traffic statistics obtained over eight days during June 2021 showed 54% of drivers exceeded the speed limit of 25 miles an hour with a high speed of 51 miles an hour. The city recorded six crashes involving pedestrians at this intersection from 2020 to 2024.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane on Federal Street on Wednesday for installation of the crosswalk between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Flaggers will help motorists navigate through the area during the work, which should be finished in one day.

Signs will be posted to warn motorists about the raised crosswalk.

The project is part of the Vision Zero program the city started in March 2024 to improve conditions on city streets with a goal of reducing traffic deaths to zero. The program has an oversight committee that reviews all fatal or serious crashes and makes recommendations for improving safety in the crash area to prevent future incidents.

“This investment on Federal Street is about listening to the community and taking action to prevent crashes before they happen,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a news release. “That’s the heart of our Vision Zero commitment.”