A moped driver was left in critical condition after crashing near the bottom of a steep hill on Arlington Avenue in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes early Friday morning. Police were called to the intersection of Fernleaf Street and Arlington Avenue around 4:45 a.m., and medics rushed the man to the hospital.
According to a Pittsburgh Public Safety Department spokesperson, the man was driving a moped on Arlington Avenue when he crashed at the bottom of the hill, as first reported by WPXI. Collision investigators responded to the scene to examine what led up to the crash. The moped driver’s exact condition beyond “critical” has not been detailed, and it remains unclear whether speed, mechanical failure, or the road’s steep grade played a role.
A Hillside Corridor With a History of Speeding
The stretch of Arlington Avenue where the crash occurred runs downhill along the ridge of the South Side Slopes, a neighborhood known for some of the steepest paved roadways and public stairways in North America, according to Mis.Steps. That topography has long posed vehicle control challenges on the corridor’s downhill segments.
The road has also drawn scrutiny for excessive speeds in the past. In September 2022, Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure installed four speed cushions along Arlington Avenue after traffic studies found that more than half of drivers exceeded the 25 mph speed limit, with 85th-percentile speeds topping 34 mph, per CBS News. It is not yet known whether speed factored into Friday’s crash.
What Pennsylvania Law Says About Mopeds
Under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, a moped, formally a motorized pedalcycle, is defined as a motor-driven cycle with operable pedals, an automatic transmission, an engine under 50cc or 1.5 brake horsepower, and a top design speed of 25 mph. Pennsylvania requires a Class C driver’s license to operate one, according to testimony before the state legislature…