biking through eastern PGH (Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg: crime, co-op, neighborhood)

[kshady]

How safe is biking through various eastern areas of Pittsburgh area during the day for an Asian male? Say Point Breeze, Homewood, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Braddock?

[ItsANewBurgh]

Originally Posted by kshady

How safe is biking through various eastern areas of Pittsburgh area during the day for an Asian male? Say Point Breeze, Homewood, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Braddock?

From your list I cannot comment on Braddock (never rode the bike there), but daytime biking through the other areas in your list should be fine. Pick your routes well, wear a helmet and avoid Penn.

[norcider]

Safe if you have good common sense and don't allow yourself to get into a position where you can't ride away quickly. Groups of kids were mugging riders near the Food Co-Op on Penn some years back. Just be careful and watch your 6.

[tclifton]

Originally Posted by kshady

How safe is biking through various eastern areas of Pittsburgh area during the day for an Asian male? Say Point Breeze, Homewood, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Braddock?

You'll likely hear it's all safe, but I would recommend finding an alternate route through Homewood.

[sealie]

Originally Posted by tclifton

You'll likely hear it's all safe, but I would recommend finding an alternate route through Homewood.

Thomas Ave is the recommended alternate route to avoid Penn and I've never had an issue. I might not go much north of Hamilton but he has no reason to.

[ItsANewBurgh]

Originally Posted by sealie

Thomas Ave is the recommended alternate route to avoid Penn and I've never had an issue. I might not go much north of Hamilton but he has no reason to.

Thomas Ave is the recommended route, I should have mentioned that. I like Hamilton better when heading to Target (Thomas dead ends on Washington Blvd, it's easier to cross Washington Blvd at the light with Hamilton.).

Yes, Homewood can be sketchy, but the OP said "during the day". I have never had issues on Hamilton riding during daylight hours.

[sealie]

Originally Posted by ItsANewBurgh

Thomas Ave is the recommended route, I should have mentioned that. I like Hamilton better when heading to Target (Thomas dead ends on Washington Blvd, it's easier to cross Washington Blvd at the light with Hamilton.).

Yes, Homewood can be sketchy, but the OP said "during the day". I have never had issues on Hamilton riding during daylight hours.

Thomas-Dallas-Hamilton works. Dallas is pretty potholed though.

[Moby Hick]

In case the OP is new to town, I think it worth clarifying that why avoiding Penn is such an issue. That is, OP seems worried about crime and I think the concerns about Penn have more to do with the spate of drivers killing cyclists on that road.

In Pittsburgh accidents, bicyclists not always to blame | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[kshady]

Thanks everyone (esp. Moby Hick for the clarification on Penn). I am not new to the Pittsburgh area but spend almost all my time in Oakland/Shadyside/Squirrel Hill/East Liberty so that's why I am not familiar with the other areas.

[selltheburgh]

I'll start by saying you'll get best results and routes from the bikepgh.org message board.

Pt Breeze - thomas, mcpherson, meade (though there's a dead end that you can still bike through) and Reynolds (but it ends after Lexington) - but there's a private road short cut behind shady side academy - are all great through streets. Don't ride Penn because cars on those streets will run you down.

Frick Park / Woods - You can cut through Frick park which is awesome too. You can get from Reynolds to Forbes or S Braddock at Hutchinson or Commercial by the Irish Center on relatively smooth crushed limestone trails. You can get to Swissvale or Braddock by crossing Commercial and going towards the river and going through Swisshelm Park or riding next to the railroad tracks. Ask on bikepgh if it has been blocked again, but it is a no-traffic route!

Homewood, Hamilton has a lot of bike traffic from 5th to Dallas and then sometimes to Homewood Ave. After that it is less and the neighborhood is a bit rougher and safety could be a concern because of crime and being jumped. I'd avoid further east than Homewood Ave after dark.

Swissvale - S Braddock isn't very wide in many parts, but does have stop signs. Ask on bike-pga

Braddock - it is a scooby doo ghost town.

Wilkinsburg - depends on which parts. Just use your wits and be safe after dark to avoid criminals. Penn where it splits to Ardmore is high / fast traffic and I wouldn't ride there any time of the day, but there are side streets.