Parking Space Invaders

This article describes an initiative in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to build bicycle parking stations inside of garages previously only used for cars. The project is part of a collaborative program between the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Department of City Planning and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership called Project Pop-Up: Downtown, which delivers grants to support the reinvigoration of downtown Pittsburgh storefronts. The article describes the history of Project Pop-Up: Downtown and details the efforts to develop the bike stations through the coordination of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and BikePgh, a leading bicycle advocacy group. Highlighted are challenges to the project's funding and the process of designing the facility. The collaboration has resulted in the Third Avenue BikePARK, which launched in July 2013 and represents the city's dedication to bike transportation and sustainability.