alkability is one of Mt. Lebanon’s defining features. People live here for many reasons, but year after year, walkability ranks among the top. The municipality has made walking, cycling and other non-automotive forms of transportation a priority in planning for the future (see sidebar, “Mt. Lebanon’s transportation planning.”) But just how walkable is Mt. Lebanon? And how safe and easy is it to move around town without a car?

Questions like these are top of mind for local transportation advocates. But it’s not just trending here — walkable communities are rising in popularity across the country. A 2023 study from the National Association of Realtors noted a higher quality of life among Americans in walkable communities. Seventy-eight percent of people surveyed said they’d be willing to pay more to live in a walkable community and 85 percent said proper walking infrastructure is important.

When more people travel without a car, the whole community benefits. Better individual and public health, a cleaner environment, less noise pollution, larger social networks and a stronger economy are just a few of the positive outcomes, according to American City & County, an informative resource for state and local government issues.

Mobility-minded Mt. Lebanon residents are serious about improving transportation in the region. At the grassroots level, volunteers, activists and organizers work hard to create a safer community for all. Let’s look at some of the biggest players.

Move Lebo

Before Move Lebo started in 2024, South Hills Safe Streets advocated for better transportation for communities south of Pittsburgh. Seth Davis, Hillcrest Place, is a member of Mt. Lebanon’s Mobility Board, and was one of the leaders of the group, formed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. South Hills Safe Streets included community representatives from Mt. Lebanon, Brookline, Pleasant Hills, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, Dormont and others — each of which has its own government processes, community capacities and challenges, said Davis. This proved too difficult to overcome, so the group dissolved.

Eventually, efforts refocused to Move Lebo, which launched in January. Davis still sees potential for cross-community collaboration, in government initiatives like the Active Transportation Plan (see page 10), but said Move Lebo is mostly about “making Mt. Lebanon a true people-centric, active community for all.”

Move Lebo describes itself as a “growing community of residents who believe safer streets for people-powered mobility make life better for everyone.”

Each person on the Move Lebo leadership team has a special interest project of their own. Elizabeth Hruby McCabe, Shady Drive West, leads advocacy and education efforts around e-bikes. Hruby McCabe, a photographer who does work for Mt. Lebanon Magazine, said her family moved to Mt. Lebanon “for the walkability. But we feel a little let down at times that it’s not as walkable or user friendly as we thought.”

Hruby McCabe takes her kids to school in her cargo e-bike and plans to start a Saturday morning e-bike ride where participants can share tips and routes. Her main goal is to motivate residents to participate in the community.

Another Move Lebo founding member, Marty Bacik, Outlook Drive, is an avid traveler. “I’ve seen what good design and infrastructure looks like. How it can bring together a community,” said Bacik.

Mt. Lebanon is “positioned to be a world-class municipality,” he added.

In addition to developing Move Lebo’s website, Bacik created RunLebo, which as the name suggests, is a running club. Mt. Lebanon has 86 miles of roads, and the challenge is to run them all, while meeting people with shared interests.

Ideas for change

Here are a few of Move Lebo’s ideas to create a safer Mt. Lebanon for people of all ages and abilities:

• Traffic calming (or a road diet) on Washington Road. Road diets facilitate slower car speeds and safer conditions. This could include narrow car lanes, only one car lane in each direction, protected bike lanes or extended curbs and sidewalks.
• Sidewalks on every street.
• Improved cycling infrastructure. Bike lanes on Washington Road and Cedar Boulevard are top of the list.
• All-direction red lights at active crosswalks. At certain intersections, particularly during the school day, when the pedestrian walk signal is active, all cars would face a red light. The intersection of Washington and Cochran roads, adjacent to the high school, has an all-direction red light.
• More third places (somewhere people go outside of work or home.)

Move Lebo recently obtained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. In addition to monthly gatherings and special events, members hope to raise money for community projects, such as bike rack installation.

Community collaboration

Many Mt. Lebanon volunteer organizations want transportation improvements, even if it’s not in their mission. For example, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) advocates for responsible driving in school zones. “We want the kids to be safe,” said PTA council president Stacie Carlson, Parkridge Lane.

The PTA helped create “Go Zones,” which dictate drop-off and traffic patterns before and after school. The Go Zones are only effective when used properly, said Carlson, and everyone has a part to play in keeping pedestrians safe. Hruby McCabe represented Move Lebo at a PTA meeting in May, where she discussed the importance of street safety for kids.

Environmental groups have a natural interest in transportation as well. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the transportation sector is the number one contributor of greenhouse gas emissions.

Morgan Sulik, Sleepy Hollow Drive, is active in LeboGreen and Move Lebo. She said an inherent tie exists between the two groups, since “transportation is the number one way to combat climate change.”

LeboGreen is a longtime advocate of active transportation and safe walking, said Abby Lawler-Morycz, Academy Avenue. In the past, they advocated for a road diet on Washington Road; created programs encouraging parents to walk their kids to school; helped install “no idling” signs in front of schools and the library; and educated residents about bicycling at Earth Day celebrations. “The less we drive cars, the better for the environment,” said Lawler-Morycz.

During an e-bike event in June, LeboGreen and Move Lebo demonstrated how to use an e-bike and answered questions about them. “Getting on a bike in Lebo is not easy,” said Sam Smith, Twin Hills Drive resident and LeboGreen volunteer. Given the steep terrain in all directions, Smith believes Mt. Lebanon is particularly suited for e-bikes, which provide an extra boost to riders to make it up tough hills.

“We love working with Move Lebo and we’re very excited that they’re here,” said Smith. “There’s been a lot of movement; no pun intended.”

Finally, the Mt. Lebanon Partnership wants better mobility in the community. Executive Director Cate Irvin, Magnolia Drive, said the Partnership’s mission to improve quality of life in the Uptown business district is “inherently tied into transportation.”  The Partnership and Move Lebo share common goals of better accessibility and equity according to Irvin.

One of the Partnership’s goals is to “make Washington Road a space you go to, not go through,” said Irvin. Good transportation planning is all about creating an inclusive space where everyone is connected, she explained. Plus, more foot traffic leads to more business.

“Move Lebo is playing a critical role, and the Partnership is excited to work with them,” said Irvin. “Advocacy groups are vital for community change.”