Good neighborhoods to be car-less? (Pittsburgh, Washington: apartments, rent, houses)

[zeebus]

Hi everyone - I'm looking to relocate to Pittsburgh, but I don't drive and I keep hearing miserable stories about the city's public transportation system. Are there any neighborhoods where it IS possible to live without a car? I work from home, so my biggest concerns are everyday things like grocery stores and restaurants.

[Faer]

Southside, Strip, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets can all be lived in car free pretty easily. Depending greatly on if you have a work commute.

[fleetiebelle]

Maybe even Mt. Washington, if you live close enough to the incline or South Hills Junction.

[Merge]

Throw Oakland in there. Plenty of students live without a car... AND East Liberty.

[Geeo]

Although people complain about the transit system, it is pretty good within the core city to get around. The advent of Lyft and Uber have made it much more convenient to get around without a car.

You would probably be fine in eastern Oakland around Bellefield Avenue/Craig Street/Centre Avenue/Bayard Street. You probably wouldn't want "downtown" Oakland because its full of college kids. "Uptown" Oakland has lots of apartment buildings and plenty of drug stores, cleaners, restaurants, etc. There is good public transportation in this area, since a lot of the routes converge along Fifth and Forbes avenues with very frequent service, as well as a north/south bus route hat goes to the North Side and South Side.

Also consider the Shadyside/Friendship/Bloomfield/East Liberty area, which has four grocery stores: Giant Eagle Market District; Aldi; Trader Joe's; and Whole Foods, as well as a Target, Home Depot, and many restaurants. In addition to good bus service, this area is served by two busway stations, which can get you downtown in less than ten minutes on a buses-only roadway that bypasses all street traffic. Squirrel Hill is also a good area and is a mix of grand houses and multi-family dwellings, grocery store, restaurants, drug stores, galleries, etc., with good bus service to Oakland and a cross-town bus to shopping centers.

[guy2073]

Castle Shannon, bethel park, dormont. Anywhere along the t. I lived in castle Shannon during collage without a car, I could do anything and go everywhere I wanted.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Faer

Southside, Strip, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets can all be lived in car free pretty easily. Depending greatly on if you have a work commute.

The OP works from home, so that's not a big deal for him.

Lawrenceville and the Mexican War Streets aren't quite as ideal for car-free living as the other examples listed though, because of the groceries issue. Lawrenceville has the Shop & Save, but it's really only convenient from Upper Lawrenceville, and not really convenient to walk to at all. Similarly, the Mexican War Streets has a little bodega type thing now, but it's a long walk to the Giant Eagle in Deutschtown. You'd realistically shop using the bus in both neighborhoods.

Squirrel Hill is only really good to live in car free if you live within a few blocks of the Forbes-Murray corridor, which admittedly is where the apartments are anyway. I'd also add East Liberty to the list - as long as you live south of East Liberty Boulevard, it's pretty walkable. Friendship would also work, as would certain portions of Oakland (although the grocery store issue arises there again).

Bloomfield is the best place in the city to live without a car though, bar none. Not only is it a walkable neighborhood with a (cruddy) grocery store, it also has some of the most complete bus service in the city. This is because the 54 goes through the neighborhood, which allows you to travel to the North Side and South Side without going Downtown and getting a transfer. Last I checked, Squirrel Hill was the only place in Pittsburgh with large business district you can't get to from a bus which goes through Bloomfield.

[TheYO]

East Liberty and Shadyside would be my top two picks. Friendship and Bloomfield are other good options. The South Side FLATS would also work, but I'd try to stay on the eastern half (18th Street or higher) because the grocery stores are both on that side of the neighborhood.

[jay5835]

In the East End, where I live without a car, I find these most convenient:

Squirrel Hill, if you are close to Murray or Forbes Avenue

North Oakland

Parts of Shadyside, Friendship, and East Liberty (most convenient along 71A or 71C bus route)

Bloomfield, but the 54 bus service is much less frequent than what you'll find in most -- all? -- of these other neighborhoods.

Only choose Lawrenceville if you don't mind walking up hills, as it is built on one.

[doo dah]

OP, are you looking for an apartment or house, and, rent or buy?