Paving the way
Exciting news - Move Lebo is part of the featured story in the November issue of Mt. Lebanon Magazine!
Check out the Paving the Way article, highlighting Move Lebo’s work within the community.
September 2024 newsletter
THIS JUST IN … MOVE LEBO IS NOW A REGISTERED 501(c)(3)!
Become a sustaining member today! Your membership & financial support enables Move Lebo to offer unique, engaging community events, purchase much needed safety equipment for sidewalk cleanups, develop educational programming & expand our advocacy work.
September was action packed, a perfect send off to summer! Our community is growing - we now have over 275 newsletter subscribers! We hear you! There’s a desire to experience our community in a way that builds connection and a sense of place. Together we will create a more connected community that prioritizes pedestrian safety and people-centered design.
PECHAKUCHA MEETS OKTOBERFEST
Our first PechaKucha event was a total blast! 20 slides/20 seconds, presenters shared their vision for a more pedestrian friendly and connected community. The evening took us on a tour from the train tracks of America to the streets of Berlin. An Oktoberfest twist added an extra bit of fun, viewers enjoyed German beer and pretzels. PROST! to people-centered design! Missed out? We want to PechaKucha with you! We’ll host another member event in the spring - stay tuned!
FIRST E-BIKE GROUP RIDE WAS A SUCCESS!
We had so much fun, we’re doing it again! It was great meeting new friends, who are passionate about making biking part of their daily lives. We shared stories and each learned a new thing or two about a route we hadn’t done before. Couldn’t make it to the last ride? Join us on Saturday, October 12 @ 9:30am at Needle and Bean for another group ride through Mt. Lebanon! Come with us - we’ll show you not only is it possible to bike in Lebo, it’s a ton of FUN! RSVP here!
Picture yourself here! Inaugural e-bike ride crew, cruising the streets of Mt. Lebanon!
POINTS OF INTEREST:
3 BUSINESS DISTRICTS, 4 SCHOOLS, COFFEE SHOPS/RESTAURANTS, LIBRARY, REC CENTER & POOL
PACK THE ROOM!
We did it! A dozen of us packed the room at the September 24 Commission Meeting in support of the Active Transportation Plan. 12 people, 12 stories, all with one common theme - safer streets for people powered mobility. Have you heard about the Active Transportation Plan and Complete Streets Policy? If not, give them a look. We are organizing another “pack the room” event on 10/1 @ 6pm this time at the Mobility Board meeting. Concerned parents will discuss the dangers their children face on their way to and from school in our walking district. Please join and share your story. We must build our collective voice and demand safer streets. Can’t make it on 10/1? The next meeting is on 11/5. Tell your friends!
SLICING UP PIZZA, MOVE LEBO STYLE @ THE ARTIST MARKET
Visitors of all ages enjoyed creating their own reflective pizza slices. A fun, interactive way to promote pedestrian safety & increase visibility while people Move (around) Lebo. A collaborative chalk mural encouraged people to envision alternative uses for space. Instead of an empty sidewalk, it became a place people gathered to chat, create art, enjoy a snack & connect. A micro demonstration to illustrate how inexpensive fixes like chalk/paint can go a long way in redesigning the use of spaces. ||paint = traffic calming = connection|| Shout out to Mt. Lebanon Partnership for including us in this great event!
SIDEWALK CLEAN UP ALONG WASHINGTON ROAD
Lebo Complained - Move Lebo answered! The Move Lebo sidewalk cleanup crew tackled the southern portion of Washington Road (near MedExpress) earlier this month. Now people and pets can safely pass through the space. Thanks to the concerned resident who put a spotlight on this area of need. Move Lebo is an action oriented advocacy group making our community a better place to live, one step at a time. Do you know of a sidewalk in need of some TLC? Submit to our Report! page and we’ll add it to our list!
Our next sidewalk cleanup is happening on Saturday, November 2nd. Meet at the Mt. Lebanon Library at 9:30am outside the entrance on Castle Shannon Blvd.
WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING - PITTSBURGH!
Move Lebo is an official co-sponsor of Week Without Driving - Pittsburgh! Whether we live in suburban towns or city neighborhoods, everyone in Allegheny County deserves safe, reliable, dignified access to the places we need to go. Across the county, 30% of the population does not drive a car. The Week Without Driving is a nationwide movement to link the needs of disabled individuals and people of all ages with environmental movements and accessible community planning. Together, we will illustrate challenges and opportunities for non-drivers and call for change that improves mobility for all.
GET INVOLVED
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED TODAY?
- BECOME A MEMBER! Your support enables Move Lebo to develop educational programs, host community events & purchase critical safety supplies for sidewalk cleanups.
- Tell your family and friends about Move Lebo - share this newsletter.
- Join in the convo on Slack.
- Report! a safety issue or concern here!
- Use the power of your words - speak at an upcoming Commissioners Meeting and/or Mobility Board meeting.
- Sign up for RunLebo!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Fridays @ 7AM
Sign up for meet up details!
WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING - PITTSBURGH:
September 30th - October 6th
Join & pledge to take a week without driving.
MONTHLY MOVE LEBO GENERAL MEETING:
Sunday, October 6th
10am @ Needle and Bean [Open to anyone interested in learning more!]
E-BIKE GROUP RIDE MEET UP:
Saturday, October 12th
9:30am @ Needle and Bean RSVP here
Thursday, October 17th
5pm - 7pm @ East End Brewing
MOVE LEBO SIDEWALK CLEANUP:
Saturday, November 2nd 9:30am
Meet at the Mt. Lebanon Library outside the entrance on Castle Shannon Blvd.
Together and Forward
@movelebo | movelebo@gmail.com | www.movelebo.com
August 2024 newsletter
[Move Lebo @ First Fridays!]
SAFER STREETS FOR PEOPLE POWERED MOBILITY
We’d like to start by saying a warm hello to all of our new subscribers! It’s wonderful to have you here!
REPORT! CLOSE CALLS
We Want Your "Close Call" Stories!
Most of us and our loved ones have had a "close call" on a Mt. Lebanon street, intersection or sidewalk that raised our blood pressure and made us ask, "why can't we do this better?!" No one wants a close call or a near miss to become an actual statistic. We want YOU to share your "close call" stories on the Move Lebo Report! page. After collecting and organizing these stories, Move Lebo plans to use this information to direct our advocacy work and brainstorm strategies to address these issues. We want to put neighbors in contact with neighbors so together you can rally for change. We also want to encourage and support story submitters to attend upcoming Mt. Lebanon Commission and Mobility Board meetings to share experiences and proposed solutions. We need our elected officials to know that there are way too many "close calls" in our neighborhood and action is needed NOW!
New! E-BIKE GROUP RIDE
Saturday, September 21st / 9:30am / starting at Needle and Bean
Calling all e-bikes! Have an e-bike and want to learn the best/safest routes to get around your neighborhood? Or maybe you have questions about how to make e-biking part of your daily routine. This meetup was inspired by the e-bike panel discussion we hosted earlier in the summer. The goal is to build community and help riders gain the confidence and knowledge needed for road riding. The ride will be led by two avid e-bike riders and Move Lebo members, Beth & Morgan. The route will connect riders to three Mt. Lebanon business districts, using mostly quiet, residential roads. The ride is designed for beginners and will move at a leisurely pace, originating and ending at Needle and Bean. No experience required. We’ll be there to help with the basics and to unload bikes, etc. or get a couple laps in prior to the start. The ride will last approximately 30 minutes. We’ll top off the ride with some of the best coffee in town while we chat about future rides. This ride is open to riders without e-bikes but please note we will be navigating a number of hills.
POINTS OF INTEREST:
3 Business Districts
4 Schools
Coffee Shops/Restaurants
Library
Rec Center/Pool
RUNLebo
On your mark, get set, go! RUNLebo is quickly gaining speed as runners and walkers take on the challenge of conquering all 86 miles of road in Mt. Lebanon. In fact, the group has caught the attention of local news stations. Recently, the creator of RUNLebo, Marty Bacik, was interviewed by KDKA and featured on the evening news. Check out the story here! Add your name to the RUNLebo leaderboard today! There’s no time limit for completion and walkers are welcome to take on the challenge. Join the group Friday mornings or run on your own time. All fitness levels welcome. Questions? Send us an email!
Lookin’ good, RUNLebo! & how about that traffic circle?!
SIDEWALK CLEANUP
Saturday, September 14 / 9:30am -11:00am / Meet @ MedExpress Urgent Care on Washington Road near Dunkin’
Join Move Lebo as we move together & forward to create a stronger, more connected community. We’ll be picking up trash along Washington Road, meeting @ the Medexpress Urgent Care on Washington Road near Dunkin’ and work our way up from there. We’ll end the cleanup with a cool down over drinks at a spot Uptown where we can compare stories about the most outlandish things we discovered. The municipality will provide supplies based on the number of people in attendance, so please give us a heads up if you are able to attend.
Do you know of a sidewalk in need of some TLC? Let us know so we can add it to our clean-up list!
DESIGN ELEMENTS: Road Diets
Ever wondered why some streets feel like racetracks? The secret may be in the lane width! A lot of Mt. Lebanon's roads are wider than they need to be, encouraging high speeds. But there's a solution: road diets. This traffic calming strategy slims down streets, making them safer and more efficient. Want to learn how it works and how it could transform your neighborhood? Click here to find out! Get the highlights in this 2-minute video from the FHWA.
PECHAKUCHA NIGHT - Rescheduled!
Oktoberfest meet PechaKucha! We’ve put together a Move Lebo PechaKucha* night! Vibes will be backyard hang with projector and some snacks and Oktoberfest bevvies. This will be an informal and fun way to get to know your fellow Move Lebo members and their perspective or story when it comes to Safe Streets for People Powered Mobility! It's also a great way to get some thoughts down on paper and hopefully aid in speaking to those outside our organization about what we stand for. (A PK is about the same length as public comment at a commission meeting.) That said, the primary goal is to hang out and be wowed by some fun & interesting stories!
When: Saturday, September 21st 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: RSVP for address BYOS(nacks) & lawn chair
What: 6-8 speakers with an intermission. Looking for volunteers to do a 5-min PK presentation. Interested in presenting? Send us an email.
*The PechaKucha 20x20 presentation format is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and you've got 400 seconds to tell your story, with visuals guiding the way. PechaKucha was created in Japan in 2003 by renowned architects, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat.”
PACK THE ROOM
The bids for the joint Mt. Lebanon-Dormont Active Transportation Plan should be in and discussions are planned to choose the consulting firm that will be developing it. Join MoveLebo at the September 24th Commission Meeting (Tuesday) to show that community support is still strong and a well-connected network for walking and biking is essential for a safe, comfortable experience. Please RSVP here so we can send you some talking points and reminders. Bring a friend!
If you are unable to make it but want to lend your support, you can find and email your commissioner using this link.
CALL TO ACTION
Take the opportunity to weigh in on Dormont's Comprehensive Plan. There's an opportunity to say you are from a neighboring community and help advocate for safer streets for people powered mobility. Provide your feedback here.
GET INVOLVED
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED TODAY?
- Tell your family and friends about Move Lebo - share this newsletter.
- Join in the convo on Slack.
- Report! a safety issue or concern here!
- Use the power of your words - speak at an upcoming Commissioners Meeting and/or Mobility Board meeting.
- Sign up for RunLebo!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
RUNLEBO MEET UP:
Fridays @ 7AM
Sign up for meet up details!
MONTHLY MOVE LEBO GENERAL MEETING:
Sunday, September 8th
10am @ Needle and Bean [Open to anyone interested in learning more!]
SIDEWALK CLEANUP:
Saturday, September 14th
9:30am @ MedExpress Urgent Care on Washington Road near Dunkin’
MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR:
Thursday, September 19th
5pm - 7pm @ East End Brewing
E-BIKE GROUP RIDE MEET UP:
Saturday, September 21st
9:30am @ Needle and Bean RSVP here
PECHAKUCHA NIGHT:
Saturday, September 21st
7pm - 9pm RSVP for location address
Together and Forward
@movelebo | movelebo@gmail.com | www.movelebo.com
July 2024 Newsletter
Let's reimagine public spaces along Washington Road. The Municipality of Mt. Lebanon has initiated a project to advance placemaking in Uptown, specifically to consider improvements to public spaces such as Clearview Common, Clocktower Plaza, Parse Way and the stairway to the Mt. Lebanon light rail station.
Share your ideas here! Let them know Move Lebo sent you.
SAFER STREETS FOR PEOPLE POWERED MOBILITY
July was a great month for Move Lebo! We continue to gather momentum, bring incremental improvements to the community and add new members to our group! We’re thrilled by the support we’re receiving. Read on to catch highlights from the last few weeks and lace up your shoes, we’re launching a RunLebo Challenge! Oh…and don’t forget to complete the Activate Uptown Survey!
SIDEWALK CLEAN UP
On Saturday, July 13th Move Lebo members braved the heat and completed the group’s first sidewalk cleanup. The stretch of sidewalk along Cochran in front of CVS has never looked so fresh! Thanks to everyone who came out to help make our community a better place to walk. And a special thanks to Mel’s Petite Cafe for providing a great space for us to hang out, cool off and socialize afterwards. We hope to do regular sidewalk cleanups and maybe even introduce a street cleanup challenge where neighbors compete to see who can make the biggest improvement on their stretch of roads (e.g., remove weeds, sweep leaf litter, cut back overgrown bushes, pick up trash, plant flowers, etc.) Which stretch of sidewalk should we focus on next? Send us a note - we’d love to hear your ideas of where we should go next!
RUN LEBO CHALLENGE
Lace up your shoes and earn bragging rights! Join the newest running club in town, the 86 Mile Run Club! Mt. Lebanon has 86 miles of roads and the challenge is to run them all! Join Move Lebo on an adventure to explore the streets of our community and earn a nifty Hoka running t-shirt [below] upon completion! Group runs will take place Friday mornings at 7am and average 3.5 - 4.5 miles. All fitness levels welcome! Can’t make it to the group run? Choose your own adventure - pick and choose from the routes on the Run-Go app or create your own routes. Interested in hearing more? Check out this super cool reel Marty created!
The first group run is THIS FRIDAY, August 2 @ 7am! Sign up here.
- RUN CLUB BRAG SWAG -
FARMERS MARKET & BIKE VALET
Earlier this month, Move Lebo hosted a bike valet at the Uptown Farmers Market. It was refreshing to see dedicated bike parking Uptown and share a vision of what creative, people-centric design looks like! Look for us at an upcoming market soon - date TBD.
PECHAKUCHA NIGHT
We are in the works to put together a Move Lebo PechaKucha* night! Vibes will be backyard hang with projector and some snacks and bevvies – We're thinking Sunday, August 18th, as way to keep the Sunday Scaries at bay. This will be an informal and fun way to get to know your fellow Move Lebo members and their perspective or story when it comes to Safe Streets for People Powered Mobility! It's also a great way to get some thoughts down on paper and hopefully aid in speaking to those outside our organization about what we stand for. (A PK is the same length as public comment at a commission meeting ) That said, the primary goal is to hang out and be wowed by some fun & interesting stories!
When: Sunday, August 18th 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Where: RSVP for address
What: 6-8 speakers with an intermission. Looking for volunteers to do a 5-min PK presentation. Interested in presenting? Send us an email.
BYOB or BYOSnacks
*The PechaKucha 20x20 presentation format is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and you've got 400 seconds to tell your story, with visuals guiding the way. PechaKucha was created in Japan in 2003 by renowned architects, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat.”
HAPPY HOUR
Move Lebo hosted another successful Happy Hour at East End Brewing. Good beer, good people talking about good design. We’ll continue to host our happy hour on the third Thursday of each month from 5-7pm @ East End Brewing. Come out and meet other like-minded friends to plan your next adventure or talk strategy for creating the change you want to see. Hope to see you at the next one!
RED LINE WORK
If you are a regular on the T, you are probably well aware about major work being done by the PRT on the red line. For occasional riders, check out the PRT website for alternate routes.
GET INVOLVED
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED TODAY?
- Tell your family and friends about Move Lebo - share this newsletter.
- Sign up for RunLebo!
- Join in the convo on Slack.
- Report! a safety issue or concern here!
- Use the power of your words - speak at an upcoming Commissioners Meeting and/or Mobility Board meeting.
- Complete the Activate Uptown Survey.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
RUNLEBO MEET UP:
Friday, August 2 @ 7AM
Sign up for meet up details!
FIRST FRIDAYS, UPTOWN MT. LEBANON:
Friday, August 2nd 7pm - 10pm
Come by, make a bike streamer and say hello - we’ll have a table set up in front of the Municipal Building!
MONTHLY MOVE LEBO GENERAL MEETING:
Sunday, August 11th
10am @ Needle and Bean [Open to anyone interested in learning more!]
MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR:
Thursday, August 15th
5pm - 7pm @ East End Brewing
PECHAKUCHA NIGHT:
Sunday, August 18th
7:30pm - 9pm @ RSVP for address
Together and Forward
@movelebo | movelebo@gmail.com | www.movelebo.com