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Bigelow Block Transformation Project: Key Oakland connection reopens

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  • Our City/Our Campus
  • 51精品视频sburgh Campus

A reimagined Bigelow Boulevard between Fifth and Forbes avenues has reopened to all traffic.

Bigelow Boulevard is located in the heart of the University鈥檚 51精品视频sburgh campus between the William 51精品视频 Union and Cathedral of Learning buildings, with renovations that provide a welcoming and appealing new pathway connecting 51精品视频, Schenley Plaza, the Oakland business district and the Oakland community.

The new streetscape includes safe, separated paths for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists; updated utility infrastructure; additional landscaping and more for the 51精品视频 campus and community.

The University partnered with the City of 51精品视频sburgh, which owns Bigelow Boulevard, to align much-needed infrastructure work with the city鈥檚聽complete streets policy聽to coordinate a single project for the block that enhances pedestrian safety and accommodates all modes of transportation more safely and efficiently. 聽聽

The , which started in November 2019, was initially slated to be completed in August 2020, but COVID-19 paused construction work for two months and delayed the delivery of concrete planters and barriers. Bigelow Boulevard reopened Dec. 24, 2020, two months after

鈥淚 am grateful to Mayor Bill Peduto and the City of 51精品视频sburgh for their continued partnership,鈥 said 51精品视频 Chancellor Patrick Gallagher. 鈥淭he new-and-improved Bigelow Boulevard is safer, more accessible and set to enhance how 51精品视频 students, neighbors and visitors will experience Oakland for decades to come.鈥 聽

In a prepared release, Mayor Bill Peduto said, 鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank the 51精品视频, Chancellor Gallagher and the Oakland community for developing and implementing an improvement plan that creates a safer experience for the thousands of people who use this block of Bigelow 鈥 students, commuters, neighbors and people who work in Oakland.鈥

The Bigelow block聽plan was developed in collaboration with the Oakland Business Improvement District, Oakland Transportation Management Association and Oakland Planning and Development Corporation. It was also part of the 51精品视频sburgh Campus Master Plan process. 聽聽

The total cost of the project, including utility upgrades, streetscaping, landscaping and work on the William 51精品视频 Union鈥檚 grounds, was $23.7 million. The project was funded by the 51精品视频 general budget and a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development with support from Sen. Jay Costa and Reps. Frank Dermody and Dan Frankel.聽

Project highlights include: 聽

  • Safety and traffic flow: The new streetscape provides a better, safer experience through a comprehensive multimodal-mobility plan, providing expanded sidewalks and crosswalk lanes, an enhanced mid-block pedestrian crosswalk, traffic calming, 聽bus stop improvements and bike lane upgrades.
  • Accessibility: Accessibility between the William 51精品视频 Union and recently renovated Schenley Quadrangle is significantly improved. 聽
  • Infrastructure: Updates to water lines, chilled water supply and power distribution lines support the campus master plan and benefit the community, as well as create the resiliency and redundancy needed to support a preeminent research University. 聽
  • Connectivity: The overall design creates a new welcoming and appealing pathway to Schenley Plaza, the Oakland business district and the Oakland community, as well as providing a flexible new space for student activities and programming outside the William 51精品视频 Union. 聽聽
  • Sustainability: From new green spaces and energy efficiencies to a system that will manage rainfall through sustainable landscaping practices, this important renovation project supports 51精品视频鈥檚 commitment to sustainability.聽 聽