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Each month, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will stop by 90.5 WESA studios for extended conversations issues affecting the city, one topic at a time. Tell us what single topic you'd like to hear from him in the future by emailing esspgh@wesa.fm or via Twitter @esspgh.

Mayor Peduto Touts Alternative Transportation & Calls Ride-Share Dispute "Dysfunctional"

Right now, most Pittsburghers use their car to get around, but that may change in the near future. First of all, the city lacks sufficient parking, especially downtown. But new transportation options backed by the mayor will make it easier to get around “tahn” without owning a car. Mayor Peduto stopped by Essential Pittsburgh to focus on the city’s transportation goals going forward.

The most immediate issue the mayor has been dealing with was the Uber/Lyft dispute. Peduto said he is behind the two ride sharing companies and calls the ongoing dispute with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission "dysfunctional."

“The PUC had two tracks. They could have changed and modified and allowed for a temporary ability for Uber and Lyft to operate in Pittsburgh and through the state of Pennsylvania while the state legislature began to take on the task of creating new laws. Or they could shut it down. They chose the wrong path. I have no doubt that we will win the war, that Uber and Lyft will be operational this year, legally, within the state of Pennsylvania.”

Peduto also pledged his support for constructing more bike lanes and encouraging more Pittsburghers to travel on two wheels.

“There has to be solid steps that are taken with all transportation options. Uber and Lyft are part of that too, but really the big pieces are within the city, we need to create an infrastructure for bike transportation. and what the means is, not just painting bicycles on the street but creating a superhighway for bikes within the city of Pittsburgh. And if you go to Bike Pittsburgh, they've already mapped it out. They've got a great model that we can start to emulate. And then it becomes part of our culture.”

Find out more about the BikePgh Better Bikeways Vision:

http://youtu.be/aV5bAWemTxE