INFRASTRUCTURE POGOH PLANS BIKE STATION EXPANSION

BIKE SHARE PITTSBURGH, the nonprofit operator of the POGOH bikeshare, has announced plans to expand the POGOH network throughout the city.

Through the addition of 22 new bike stations, POGOH will bring its first stations to Hazelwood, Stanton Heights, and more North Side neighborhoods, according to a press release.

The operator will also connect its existing network to the Wilkinsburg station on the East Busway and beef up its presence in Oakland. This planned expansion will be funded by a grant from the Federal Highway Administration aimed at minimizing congestion and improving air quality. Planned changes to the pricing structure will also make it cheaper to rent electric bikes.

Environment City Wide Plastic Bag Ban Delayed Until Fall

ACITY-WIDE BAN on plastic bags set to take effect next month will be delayed until October so that businesses can prepare for a smooth transition, Mayor Ed Gainey’s office announced last week.

The ban, passed by city council last April with a 12-month implementation delay, prohibits retailers from supplying any bags other than ones made from recycled paper. Proponents claim it could prevent more than 100 million plastic bags from entering circulation each year.

In his release noting the delay, Gainey said more time is now needed to allow retailers and consumers to prepare.

“This extra time will allow us to do the work to be able to enact this policy with proper guidance for everyone in order to make this as smooth as possible for all of us,” he said.