Student-led group conducts traffic study in busy Pittsburgh neighborhood, hoping to make big changes

For drivers on a busy stretch in Oakland, they likely saw a group of students recording traffic to gather data for a study. The goal is to make things safer for drivers, pedestrians, and the community as a whole. 

"Everyone we talked to basically said this is a problem that needs to be fixed," said Neil Cahill, the president of Complete Streets. 

For 15 hours, Cahill and others sat at the intersection of Bates and Semple Streets in Oakland to conduct the traffic study. He said the intersection is a constant interaction of people and cars with little clarity. 

"Some of the problems we've seen are a lot of near misses," he explained. "We were here last week as well, and the amount of people turning onto Bates and speeding on Bates [nearly] hitting pedestrians, the sheer number of pedestrians is kind of a factor in that." 

One of the reasons for that, according to Cahill, is a lack of signage, and with all the one-way streets, it can be confusing for drivers who are unfamiliar with the area. 

This can lead to speeding, running through crosswalks, and a general sense of confusion for all involved. For the group Complete Streets, they fear that confusion will turn into tragedy. 

"Bates Street has a lot of crashes, but doesn't have a lot of fatalities," he said. 

The hope, however, is that by working with Councilman Bob Charland, Pittsburgh DOMI, and universities in Oakland, they can make changes that will get into the city's budget quicker. 

"Everyone kind of supports it," Cahill said. "It's just bumping it up on the priority list and getting the funding allocated." 

That funding could be crucial when it comes to avoiding a devastating accident. The goal is to get better signage installed, including stop signs and one-way signs, and a formal traffic study. 

"We want to feel safe crossing the street, we want to feel safe driving on the street, and biking on the street," Cahill said. 

Cahill and his group will be bracing the cold and rain until midnight on Friday in hopes of collecting the data that will, in return, gain attention and funding.