Greenway Planning
The Charles Street Area Corporation is actively implementing a plan for greenways on what used to be Harlan Avenue, now a paper street set back into the hillside along the Charles Street Valley's southern boundary. This area was designated as a greenway in 2010 by City Planning without community input. Activating it as a usable community space requires collaboration with City Planning.
The plan includes a trail, an overlook, landscaping, and city step maintenance. We are partnering with environmental conservation organizations to create a scenic, well-maintained greenway.
This map identifies greenways in the Charles Street Valley area.
Greenway Planting
As part of the implementation phase, volunteers and stewards worked in October 2023, planting 259 perennial flowering plants, shrubs, and various landscaping elements. In April 2024, 14 trees were planted in partnership with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and volunteers from Carnegie Mellon University and community residents. This effort aims to create an environmentally sustainable, usable, and educational green space, featuring native flora and fauna.
Interpretive Signage
Additionally, the installation of interpretive signage was completed in June 2024. The community voted on important historical places, people, and assets, to memorialize on the interpretive signs that were installed along the walking trail in the hillside directly across from Cross Strauss Parklet.
Transformation
Old
New
