Top Agenda Items
- Suburban EMS crews billed $27,000 for the NFL Draft
- Painting the pavement at a busy Larimer intersection could make crossing safer
Help turn feedback into impact. Subscribe today.
Each week, we share surveys on the biggest issues and take your responses directly to our elected officials. Join for free to make your voice heard.
SUBSCRIBESuburban EMS crews billed $27,000 for the NFL Draft
The City of Pittsburgh is taking at $27,000 hit from NFL Draft invoices.
City Council Member Barb Warwick of Greenfield flagged 16 invoices from nearby municipalities during council’s July 15 committee meeting. Ten of those, totaling $26,952, were for emergency medical services coverage during the NFL Draft in April.
Budget Director Keirsten Walmsley said she assumed the invoices would be eligible for reimbursement from a $2 million VisitPittsburgh grant awarded just ahead of the draft, but she could not confirm it during the meeting.
Council Member Erika Strassburger of Squirrel Hill North said Controller Rachael Heisler is putting together a report on the impact of the draft on the city. Walmsley said Acting Budget Director Rea Price is also putting together a report based on the city’s expenses.
For many, the benefits of the draft did not live up to the event’s promises.
“Sometimes it feels like it’s kind of marketed that way, like we’re lucky to get the event,” said Warwick. “It’s actually your privilege to come to our city.”
The other six invoices were for EMS coverage during events such as the Juneteenth celebration, the Morgan Wallen concert and a Pittsburgh Penguins game. Those invoices totaled $5,290.
Council approved all 16 invoices.
Thinking about the big events Pittsburgh hosts, like the NFL Draft or large concerts. In your own experience, how do they usually affect you?
| Mostly positive — more business, energy, or things to do |
| Mostly negative — crowds, traffic, noise, or disruption |
| A mix of both |
| I don't notice much effect either way |
| Other |
Painting the pavement at a busy Larimer intersection could make crossing safer 🔗
Larimer may soon join the list of neighborhoods where art and pedestrian safety intersect.
During its July 15 committee meeting, council voted to move forward with an agreement that would allow the Larimer Consensus Group to install a street mural at the high-traffic intersection of Larimer Avenue and Meadow Street.
Street murals, also known as asphalt art, are a colorful traffic calming measure. According to a 2022 study, intersections with art saw a 50% decrease in crashes involving pedestrians and a 37% decrease in crashes that lead to injuries.
“This initiative represents an important opportunity to celebrate community identity, elevate local artists, and create a vibrant public space that reflects the voices and experiences of Larimer residents,” said Council Member Khari Mosley of Point Breeze North, whose district includes Larimer, in a letter of support to the Public Art & Civic Design Commission.
Other community-installed and -inspired art include murals at Baum Grove in Friendship and in front of the Woods Run Branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Traffic calming measures are part of Pittsburgh’s involvement in Vision Zero, an international initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries.
Thinking about where you live and travel in the city, how often do you feel unsafe crossing the street or walking near traffic?
| Every day — there are specific spots that feel dangerous |
| Often |
| Rrarely |
| Never |
| I'm not sure or prefer not to answer |