From Sept 29 – Oct 5, Week Without Driving PGH raised awareness for mobility needs in every community
For many of us, walking, biking, rolling, and riding the bus or paratransit are essential for getting to work, accessing healthcare, buying groceries, or simply visiting family and friends. But while non-drivers make up a significant portion of our region, their needs are often invisible in planning and policy decisions.
From September 29 through October 5, Week Without Driving PGH 2025 was a powerful reminder of what daily life is like for nearly one-third of people in Allegheny County who don’t drive due to age, disability, high costs of car ownership, or other factors.
This year, Bike Pittsburgh, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Access Mob Pittsburgh, and Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh were proud to co-host Week Without Driving PGH.
We also expanded our focus to include more voices from across Allegheny County, not just within city limits, so we could highlight the transportation stories of people from all backgrounds and neighborhoods.
Check out coverage from WPXI here | See the discussion on Reddit here | Here’s coverage from the food access lens from Just Harvest
Week Without Driving has been a growing national movement for years, and this year we were proud to co-host Pittsburgh’s second annual local movement. Thank you to the dozens of elected leaders, over 60 organizational partners, and over 100 community members who committed to giving their support to the initiative to start understanding the needs and challenges non-drivers face every single day!
- On Monday Sept 29, Access Mob Pittsburgh kicked off the week with their Community Lecture Night, so we could learn from their community that is organizing Disability Justice in Allegheny County. Watch the recording here!
- On Tuesday, Sept 30, at our Week Without Driving PGH Kickoff Press Conference, we heard from County Executive Sara Innamorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, in addition to City Councilperson Barb Warwick and Swissvale Borough Councilman Fred Quinn III. Non-drivers shared their experiences around safety and access challenges, and dozens of other individuals and organizations were in attendance, followed by a proclamation to commemorate and raise awareness of WWDPGH in our region.
- On Wednesday Oct 1, our Week Without Driving Meetup with Riverlife at Shore Thing was a scenic and relaxing way to share our Week Without Driving stories and enjoy an afternoon on the water.
- On Thursday Oct 2, BikePGH’s “Safe Sidewalks Crew” Training taught participants all about our new initiative to inform sidewalk improvements in their neighborhoods. Learn more about that initiative and future trainings here.
- At our Happy Hour at Federal Galley on October 3, we connected and got to celebrate our collective commitment to better transportation solutions.
What’s Next?
We’re grateful for this growing community of advocates and changemakers. Stay connected for more events and initiatives as we continue building a Pittsburgh where transportation works for everyone, nbo matter how we get around town!
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.
Excerpt from the national campaign at weekwithoutdriving.org