“Our mission is to make biking and walking safe and commonplace in the city.”
BikePGH strives to make Pittsburgh streets safer and more accessible for everyone — whether they're traveling on foot or two wheels.
The Pittsburgh-based nonprofit wants to transform transportation habits by encouraging residents to get around on a bicycle or by walking.
“Our mission is to make biking and walking safe and commonplace in the city,” says Kéya Joseph, director of events, BikePGH. "So, it’s not just something you can do, but something that feels comfortable and easy.”
UPMC Health Plan proudly supports BikePGH’s mission as the presenting sponsor for OpenStreetsPGH and PedalPGH. BikePGH holds three OpenStreetsPGH events each summer from May to July, plus its annual PedalPGH fundraiser in August.
“People come in from the surrounding areas and the suburbs to experience OpenStreets every year, which, I think, is really cool,” Kéya says. “UPMC really allowed us to scale this from a smaller street closure to something that Pittsburghers look forward to every summer."
Each OpenStreetsPGH event is free to the community and family-friendly. A few miles of city streets are closed each time so residents can explore them carefree (and car-free).
In 2024, events were held from downtown to the South Side, the Hill District to the North Side, and the East End to Homewood.
Each event typically draws more than 10,000 people, depending on the route and weather, Kéya says.
Participants can also support local businesses and enjoy activities like free group fitness classes while experiencing the city from a new perspective.
“We want this level of freedom to exist all year round,” Kéya says. “That you can just take your bike out, go down the street, and there's an activity that popped up naturally because the street allows for it because the environment and the landscape have allowed that to thrive.”
BikePGH welcomed nearly 3,000 cyclists nationwide for the 31st UPMC Health Plan PedalPGH on Aug. 25, 2024. The annual fundraiser has grown over three decades to become Pennsylvania’s largest single-day bike ride.
For the second straight year, the event took place at Allegheny Commons Park in Pittsburgh’s North Side. The day offered something for everyone, with riders of all ages and skill levels participating.
“You have anything from 10 (miles) all the way up to 62 miles,” Kéya says. “And you can really, as the participant, choose what you want to take part in — whether it's a casual trail ride or if you want to really challenge yourself with the Pittsburgh hills.”
Proceeds from the fundraiser enable BikePGH to continue its work throughout the year. That includes advocacy and educational initiatives, as well as discussions with public officials.
“Meetings with city councilors, people who are sitting on different biking mobility committees that are making these decisions about how our city is being shaped and how our infrastructure is being built,” Kéya says.
She reiterates the goal is to ensure everyone can get around safely, regardless of their preferred method of transportation.
“Whether you're in a vehicle, whether you're on a bike, or the sidewalk, (or) whether you're in a wheelchair," she says. "We want to make sure everyone has the same level of safety, and the safety isn't reserved for those inside vehicles.”
At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means making our city streets safe and accessible for everyone.
To learn more about OpenStreetsPGH and PedalPGH, visit BikePGH’s website.
