PITTSBURGH, PA — If you're thinking about driving Downtown or to the North Shore for the upcoming NFL Draft, it's best to get that idea out of your mind.
It will be nearly impossible.
Allegheny County, Pittsburgh and VisitPittsburgh (the region's tourism agency) officials under the guise of the Pittsburgh Organizing Committee, on Wednesday unveiled the traffic and transit plan for the draft.
A premiere NFL event, draft activities will be held on the North Shore at Acrisure Stadium and and at Point State Park Aprli 23-25.
"Pittsburgh is no stranger to hosting major events, and this plan reflects that experience," said Jerard Bachar, VisitPittsburgh CEO.
"We’ve worked closely with partners across the region to create a coordinated, multi-modal approach that makes getting around straightforward and reliable— whether you’re coming downtown for the draft or going about your daily routine."
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flood the city to attend the event. In preparation for that expectation, a series of street closures will begin on Saturday and complete street openings will not occur until several weeks after the draft has concluded.
The schedule:
Phase 1 Closures (March 28 – April 12)
Art Rooney Ave, West General Robinson Street (to Tony Dorsett Dr), Scotland Ave.
*Phase 2 Closures (April 13 – April 21):
Casino Drive (from Sproat Way), North Shore Drive (to Chuck Noll Way), Reedsdale Street (to Tony Dorsett Dr), Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Drive, along with the closures in Phase 1.
Phase 3 Closures (April 22 – April 25):
Sproat Way, North Shore Drive (from Chuck Noll Way to Mazeroski Way), Mazeroski Way, West General Robinson Street, Lacock Street, Federal Street, I-279 Southbound Exit 1B ramp, Rt 65 southbound ramp to Ft. Duquesne Bridge, Rt 65 Northbound ramp from Ft. Duquesne Bridge, T1 ramp from Reedsdale Street, 6th Street Bridge (Roberto Clemente), 7th Street Bridge (Andy Warhol), Sixth Street, Ft Pitt Bridge on ramp from 10th Street Bypass, Commonwealth Place, Liberty Ave Extension, Penn Avenue (from Stanwix Street to 9th Street), Liberty Ave/PPG Paints Arena Exit off Ft. Pitt Bridge, and 279 HOV. Along with closures from Phase 1 and 2
*Phase 4 Closures (April 26 – May 1):
Casino Drive (from Sproat Way), North Shore Drive (to Chuck Noll Way), Reedsdale Street (to Tony Dorsett Dr), Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Dive, I-279 Southbound Exit 1B, along with the closures in Phase 1
Phase 5 Closures (May 2 – May 6):
Reedsdale Street, Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Drive, along with the closures in Phase 1
Phase 6 Closures (May 7 – May 10):