Pittsburgh City Council
Closing a bike lane loophole could also destroy the case for parking on sidewalks.
Written by Amy Whipple
A proposed change for parking regulations could force Pittsburghers to park with all four tires in the street.
The parking regulations, as they are now written, allow for vehicles to park in bike lanes if it’s to protect the safety of the people and the vehicle. Council Member Bobby Wilson of Spring Hill sponsored legislation to close that loophole.
Wilson said during the July 29 committee meeting that people have used the loophole to argue tickets for parking in a bike lane.
“The reason that the judge has been hesitant to rule—or officers were hesitant to give the ticket—was because there was that language,” he said.
The proposed amendment removes vehicle safety as an exception.
That change, however, could mean Pittsburghers will lose their ability to use that justification to illegally park on sidewalks since the change would apply to all prohibited spaces.
Council Member Anthony Coghill of Beechview pointed out that his district has narrow streets and an average of two vehicles per household.
“It’s one thing when you put one tire up on the sidewalk, but people are abusing it,” he said. “If you’re in a wheelchair, you can’t get by. Baby stroller: You have to go out in the street.”
However, he added, if everyone parked correctly, “ambulances and fire engines can’t get by.”
Council voted to move forward with the legislation but remained conflicted about sidewalk parking.
Connections to this story
- Elected officials:
- Anthony CoghillBobby Wilson
- Topics:
- Transit & Transportation
- Governments:
- Pittsburgh City Council
- Public meetings:
- City Council · July 28, 2026
More surveys
Have your say on more of the stories we’re covering.
Pittsburgh City Council
Beltzhoover rec center next in line for Stop the Violence funds.
McKinley Recreation Center in Beltzhoover could soon run out-of-schooltime programming with $200,000 from the city's Stop the Violence (STV) fund.
Pittsburgh City Council
Ballfield lights could go remote with a $73,050 software upgrade.
The superintendents of the city parks will soon be able to control ballfield lights with a tap on their phone.
Pittsburgh City Council
Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors
Families speak out against the school board’s decision to move forward with the Future Ready plan.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors’ decision in May to close up to 12 schools as it moves forward with the Future Ready plan did not end the opposition of parents and community members.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors
Community members ask the school board to advocate for more family housing.
While the Future Ready plan was developed as a response to the district’s declining enrollment and ongoing budget issues, several speakers at the June 22nd public hearing argued that PPS cannot…
Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors
Board approves the student code of conduct after a bid to delay it fails.
The school board approved a new version of the district’s code of conduct, but not before debating whether those affected should have had time to review and weigh in on changes.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors
Pittsburgh City Council
URA says the TRID can turn around an $813 million drop in Downtown property values.
Pittsburgh City Council’s July 22 committee meeting featured two hours of public comment and two and a half hours of council discussion about the proposed Downtown Pittsburgh Transit Revitalization…
Pittsburgh City Council
Two hours of comment, 40 speakers, and almost no support for the Downtown TRID.
The meeting started with two hours of public comment as 40 speakers addressed council about the TRID.
Pittsburgh City Council
Downtown TRID amendment would guard service workers from layoffs but require them to give up the right to strike.
The legislation was changed after council’s June 3 committee meeting to include a requirement to pay a prevailing wage and service employee protections as negotiated by the 32BJ branch of the Service…
Pittsburgh City Council
Pittsburgh City Council
Controller Heisler urges caution, citing $44.7 million deficit.
Controller Rachael Heisler had her own assessment of the proposed Downtown TRID.
Pittsburgh City Council
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.
Pittsburgh City Council
Suburban EMS crews billed $27,000 for the NFL Draft.
The City of Pittsburgh is taking at $27,000 hit from NFL Draft invoices.
Pittsburgh City Council
Allegheny County Council
Council Member Botta pitches Allegheny One, a single online home for public services.
Council Member Jordan Botta of Friendship has asked for a study to see if the county can create a one-stop website for all of the county’s resources and services.
Allegheny County Council
Allegheny County Council
County awarded grant to pay for alternatives to incarceration.
County council’s budget and finance committee voted on July 9 to move forward with accepting a $2.15 million grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant is part of the…
Allegheny County Council
Warden Wingard resigns after 18 months at the county jail.
Allegheny County Jail Warden Trevor Wingard is leaving his job at the end of July after leading the jail for 18 months.
Pittsburgh City Council
A $58,283 bill in overlooked interest is all that's left to own 2,000 Dell devices.
Pittsburgh is $58,283 away from owning over 2,000 Dell devices used by city employees.