More room coming for bicyclists in Oakland after deadly accident

OAKLAND, Pa. — A busy road in Pittsburgh is getting a big change.

Some of the parking spots along Forbes Avenue will be no more.

That's because the city is making more room for bicyclists.

This decision follows a deadly bicycle accident, but it is still a controversial one.

Starting Wednesday, some of the parking spots on Bigelow Boulevard will be eliminated to create a bike lane that cyclists say is needed to increase safety.

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Bike rider Guarav Trivedi says he's constantly riding his bike along Bigelow Boulevard and Forbes Avenue and safety is always a concern, but things are slowly getting better.

“It’s improving,” Trivedi said. “When I first started, it wasn’t that safe. "Now it's improving. People in their cars are used to seeing bicyclists.”

The city said it is trying to make roads easier for bicyclists to use.

City crews will be eliminating 14 parking spaces on Bigelow Boulevard and 18 spaces on Forbes Avenue to extend bicycle lanes, a move cyclists say is needed.

“There are a lot of students that use the bike lanes, and professors,” Trivedi said.

These improvements come two years after bicyclist Susan Hicks was killed riding her bike on Forbes Avenue.

The driver who hit her was sentenced to five years in prison.

Some say drivers have other options besides the parking spaces that will be eliminated.

“There are a a lot of garages that they can use. It should not affect much,” Trivedi said.

The cost of the project is $45,000 and it should wrap up in one to two weeks.

Cox Media Group