By Councilman Wilson
Hello everyone, During the summer, my office has been busy addressing numerous concerns about the ongoing construction along North Avenue, part of the North Avenue Signals & Safety project, details of which can be found here: engage.pittsburghpa.gov/north-avenue-signals-and-safety-project. After working with DOMI, Public Safety, Bureau of Fire and EMS, numerous changes are being implemented in the design to help with traffic congestion as well as emergency vehicle access. These include the elimination of the bump out at the corner of Sandusky & E. North Ave, next to the hospital, converting portions of North Ave between Federal and Sandusky into “No Parking” areas for vehicles to pull over during emergencies, and possibly replacing the mulch in medians with concrete or reinforced grass (with grid underneath) to allow vehicles to mount the median if needed. I will continue to work with the project team on any additional concerns and encourage residents to reach out to my office directly. As any updates become available, I will also share those on my social media accounts.
I’ve also been working with Pittsburgh Water on the issues surrounding numerous water main breaks in Brighton Heights. I had an initial meeting with the organization’s leadership in July, where they acknowledged the lack of reliable water service in the neighborhood and provided commitments for improvement. You can find my full statement at my Council webpage under Newsletters and Press Releases.
Last month, I held a meeting with Brighton Heights Citizen Federation’s (BHCF) President Joe Glassbrenner and Pgh2O to discuss next steps in community outreach. More details will be shared at the BHCF’s next meeting on Sept. 11, details found here: brightonheights.org/news/upcoming-community-meetings-sept-11-nov-13/.
Any D1 resident should use the service outage map on the PGH2O’s website for active water outages and report service disruptions to their 24/7 Emergency Dispatch (412) 255-2423, press 1.
I want to remind everyone that there is an upcoming Public Hearing for the proposed Housing Needs Assessment legislation, bill 2025-1545, scheduled for Sept. 10 at 2 P.M. This legislation package includes changes to Inclusionary Zoning, Accessory Dwelling Units, Parking Minimums, and more. Details on the legislation can be found here: engage.pittsburghpa.gov/implementing- housing-needs-assessment. To register for public comment, please complete the sign-up form found here, pittsburghpa.gov/City-Government/City-Council/Clerks-Office/Council-Meeting-Schedule, or call the City Clerk’s Office at (412) 255-2138, or submit a written statement to [email protected]. Registration to speak closes at noon the day of the public hearing.
Now that City Council has returned from recess, we will enter budget season when the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget present preliminary budgets for both operating and capital expenses to City Council early this fall. I would like to note that earlier this summer, I submitted over 30 capital budget requests totaling $51 million for District 1. I look forward to reviewing the preliminary budget and advocating for all the pressing needs on the Northside.
I’m happy to share that this year’s Riverview 5K has a Halloween Twist! This is the fifth and final event of the 2025 City of Pittsburgh Community Footrace Series presented by Allegheny Health Network and will take place on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. To learn more about the race and to register, visit pittsburghpa.gov/events/riverview/index.html.
If you have any questions or concerns, call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at [email protected], find us on Facebook and X, and sign up for our newsletter (pittsburghpa.gov/City-Government/City-Council/Districts/Bobby-Wilson-District-1). My staff and I look forward to hearing from you! n
