Anyone who's ever watched the crew boats gliding along the city's rivers has seen how important it is for everybody in the boat to pull together.

The city of Pittsburgh is taking the same smart approach in planning for transportation needs for the future. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl last week issued a request for proposals for firms interested in developing a 25-year plan that will coordinate the city's strategy.

As the mayor said, the effort "is about moving people, not just cars. We need to make our roads, rivers, rails, trails and mass transit work in a way that better connects people with where they live, work and play."

The work began earlier this year, when the mayor formed the MOVEPGH task force. It includes representatives from the city's planning and public works departments, the city and county development authorities, the Port Authority, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Allegheny Conference, Bike PGH and the state Transportation Department. All of the participants are an essential piece of the process.

Their shared goal is a comprehensive, $1.3 million transportation plan that includes mass transit, roads, trails and waterways; a plan for bicycle use and pedestrians; and a street design manual. The aspiration is to create new and maintain existing urban centers where people can live, work and get around easily by walking, biking and using public transportation more and driving their cars less.

Just as the evolution of Pittsburgh's system of hiking and biking trails and the renewed use of the rivers for recreation took decades, the transformation and integration of its roads, rails, sidewalks and stairs won't happen overnight.

With this renewed effort, though, Pittsburgh is moving in the right direction.

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