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Where Pittsburgh
comes outside.

A 2011 website, reimagined for today.

Chris originally built a website for Friends of the Riverfront in 2011. This redesign brings that work forward with a simpler way to discover the trails, plan a visit, and connect with the riverfront.

Strategy • Design • Development • Interactive mapping

Explore the website

FRIENDS OF THE RIVERFRONT / HOMEPAGE

The redesigned homepage with a cyclist beside the Pittsburgh riverfront and trail discovery links
Built for the way people explore today.

The idea

Make the first step
feel easy.

A riverfront trail can be many things: a commute, a quiet walk, a family outing, or a place to lend a hand. The website should help someone move from “I’d like to go” to “I know where to start.”

The experience starts with visitor questions: Where can I go? How do I get there? What should I know before I leave?

A closer look

See the full design.

Explore the desktop and mobile experiences in context. Open a capture to inspect it at full size.

Complete Friends of the Riverfront homepage, including trail discovery, community work and volunteer information.
HomepageAn invitation to discover the riverfront, from the first screen through the footer.
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Mobile experience

Homepage on a phone.

See how the same experience adapts to a smaller screen.

Mobile view: Complete Friends of the Riverfront homepage, including trail discovery, community work and volunteer information.
Homepage / MobileA full capture at phone width.
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Complete Three Rivers Heritage Trail guide, showing the trail overview, visitor information and related resources.
Trail guideTrip details, trail information and ways to explore.
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Mobile experience

Trail guide on a phone.

See how the same experience adapts to a smaller screen.

Mobile view: Complete Three Rivers Heritage Trail guide, showing the trail overview, visitor information and related resources.
Trail guide / MobileA full capture at phone width.
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Complete interactive trail map page with search, filters, access points and the Pittsburgh map.
Interactive mapA searchable map connects access points with a readable list.
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Mobile experience

Interactive map on a phone.

See how the same experience adapts to a smaller screen.

Mobile view: Complete interactive trail map page with search, filters, access points and the Pittsburgh map.
Interactive map / MobileA full capture at phone width.
Open full-size mobile capture (opens in a new tab)

The experience

A better welcome
to the river.

A connected experience that makes the riverfront easier to discover, navigate, and enjoy.

The actual responsive homepage, with the Where Pittsburgh comes outside introduction and links to land and water trails
01 / THE HOMEPAGEA clear invitation, with trail discovery and ways to help close at hand.
The interactive map with Pittsburgh area shortcuts, a searchable place list and amenity filters
02 / THE INTERACTIVE MAPSearch, filters, and a companion list make places easier to explore. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail visitor guide as displayed on a phone
03 / THE MOBILE GUIDEThe essentials stay close at hand on a smaller screen.

The thinking

Designed around
real decisions.

01

Lead with the destination.

The homepage makes land and water trails visible immediately. Visitors can follow their interest before they need to understand every program or page.

02

Turn the map into a starting point.

Area shortcuts, search, amenity filters, and a readable list help people find access points without relying on a map alone. The map links to official alerts because its locations are a snapshot.

03

Connect planning with participation.

Trail access, accessibility resources, alerts, volunteering, and the organization’s work sit within the same experience, helping a visit become a longer relationship with the riverfront.

Looking ahead / AI-assisted exploration

A smarter way
to find your way.

The next opportunity is to make the map more conversational. An optional assistant could translate a visitor’s needs into useful filters and point them toward relevant, verified information.

AI-assisted search is a proposed future feature.

TRAIL ASSISTANTFUTURE FEATURE

“Where can I park near a trail access point?”

✳
Find a place to start.

The assistant could surface matching parking and access points, link to their sources, and flag when information needs to be checked.

ILLUSTRATIVE RESPONSE
01 / UNDERSTAND

Start with the question.

Turn a request into explicit filters for area and amenities. Ask a follow-up when the person’s starting point or needs are unclear, and let them adjust the filters.

02 / GROUND

Show the evidence.

Search maintained trail and amenity records using spatial queries, then show source links, update times, and official alerts. Say when a detail is missing or stale.

03 / RESPECT LIMITS

Keep people in control.

Use verified route data for directions; never guess distances, accessibility, or current conditions. Ask before using location, and keep ordinary map controls available.

See it for yourself

Good trails bring
people together.

Explore the website, from the homepage to the map.

Open the website