The Oakland Plan

A 10-year plan with a shared vision for Oakland's future and the projects and programs necessary to make that vision a reality.

The Oakland Plan was adopted as City policy by Planning Commission in June 2022. The Plan guides the future of public and private investments in the area and recommends new land-use regulations, transportation and infrastructure improvements as well as public programs and community services. The plan area generally includes the neighborhoods of North Oakland, Central Oakland, South Oakland, and West Oakland.

Engage Now

Planning Process

Stage 1

Fall 2019 - Spring 2020

Organize
Prepare for the planning process.

Stage 2

Summer 2020 - Fall 2020

Visualize
Identify issues & opportunities, set a vision & goals.

Stage 3

Winter 2021 - Summer 2021

Strategize
Develop project & programs.

Stage 4

Fall 2021 - Spring 2022

Formalize
Assemble, review, & adopt the plan.

Stage 5

Next 10 years

Realize
Implement the plan's actions.

Status

Implementation of the Plan is underway! Visit the Plan's EngagePGH page to learn about the current status of each project and program.

The Neighborhood

Pittsburgh’s Oakland is composed of four city-designated neighborhoods: West Oakland, North Oakland, Central Oakland, and South Oakland. The district these four neighborhoods form possesses an unparalleled combination of academic, medical, and cultural institutions surrounded by a vibrant residential community. Oakland’s academic institutions are also major employers and generators of economic activity throughout Western Pennsylvania, including the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Carlow University. Oakland has an extraordinary complement of cultural institutions, including the Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Hall, the main branch of the Carnegie Library, and the nearby Phipps Conservatory. Activity extends to the riverfront portions of Oakland, where the Pittsburgh Technology Center continues to grow and add office and R&D buildings as well as parking, hospitality, and other uses. Finally, The Port Authority of Allegheny County, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh, is currently in the design phase of a Bus Rapid Transit system that will better connect Downtown and Oakland with the East End and nearby neighborhoods. The project will introduce designated bus-only lanes that will reduce travel times and bring other streetscape improvements, including physically separated bike lanes, street trees, and stormwater infrastructure to the Fifth and Forbes Avenue corridor.

Project Staff and Partners

Staff from the Department of City Planning managed the overall planning process and support planning partners who led discussions by topic as shown below.

Community: Department of City Planning, Office of Equity
Development: Department of City Planning, Urban Redevelopment Authority
Mobility: Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, Port Authority of Allegheny County
Infrastructure: Green Building Alliance, Department of City Planning Division of Sustainability and Resilience

Key Contacts

Plan Implementation
Christian Umbach, Department of City Planning
(412) 518-8395
christian.umbach@pittsburghpa.gov