This letter is in regard to Pittsburgh City Council’s recent decision to allow cyclists to use the Emerald View trails in Mount Washington. As a lifelong Pittsburgher and daily user of the trail system, I believe that I am in a unique position to comment on this matter. And I believe council’s decision was a bad one for the following reasons:
Sport cycling and recreational hiking are incompatible on certain segments of the trail. There are places where the path narrows to the point where it is difficult to give cyclists the space they need to pass hikers.
Aggressive cyclists frequently do not yield to hikers and become surly and confrontational when they encounter noncyclists on the trail. In recent weeks, I nearly have been run over by cyclists speeding around some of the trail’s blind curves, which do not allow for quick reaction times for either group.
Sport cycling already has had a negative impact on the trail surface in some areas. The trail certainly will experience environmental degradation through erosion as a result of bicycle use. In addition to environmental degradation, repeated cycling activity has begun to impact trail aesthetics. This is especially troublesome given the amount of time and effort volunteers have donated to create, improve and maintain these trails. I don’t recall any participation from cycling groups.
We all need to get along and share our fine city’s outdoor resources. However, one could make the point that sufficient concessions already have been made for the cycling portion of our city’s population. This additional concession appears to be a case of cycling overkill. The areas where one can walk or hike without encountering aggressive cyclists is shrinking. For example, one can hardly walk any of the river trails given the preponderance of cyclists.
My family recently discussed moving from the city. We are active outdoors people, and our decision to stay was based, at least in part, on convenient access to our city’s wonderful trail system. Council should revisit this decision and return the trails to their previous state.
EDWARD STANKOWSKI JR.
Mount Washington
First Published: August 16, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
