East Liberty project aims to make area more bike, pedestrian-friendly

You may have noticed lots of construction underway at Euclid Avenue and Penn Avenue in East Liberty.

It’s all part of the of the Penn Circle two-way conversion project that aims to make the area more bike and pedestrian-friendly.

Traveling by car, bike or foot near this section of East Liberty and you’ll find one-way signs, a sea of cones and road closures.

The road work has been ongoing since 2016.

“It’s been a bit dicey with traffic sometimes,” said Ryan Wager. “People sometimes don’t know where to turn. And as a walker, I just have to keep my eyes open.”

The Urban Redevelopment Authority is turning the single-direction, four-lane Penn Circle into a two-way road.

It’s an effort to connect the East Liberty into an urban grid to encourage more walking and biking.

“I’m definitely a big proponent for making it less car-centric around here,” said Wagner

The Penn Circle project will create more than 6,000 square feet of additional green space, 8,000 linear feet of new protected bike lanes, 51 new trees, 3,900 linear feet of new direction lanes, 10 additional parking spaces and 34 striped crosswalks.

“It’s been a long time coming. Definitely feels like we are near the end of it,” said Wagner.

The project is slated to be complete by July. The Urban Redevelopment Authority says it will connect the largest section of protected bike lanes in the city.

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