Thousands of people biking, walking, running, and rolling will take to Pittsburgh’s streets from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday as part of OpenStreetsPGH.
Produced by Bike Pittsburgh with support from UPMC Health Plan, the free community event opens two miles of car-free streets in Downtown and the South Side. OpenStreetsPGH is part of a global movement to temporarily close vehicle-dominated roads so that communities can enjoy bike- and foot-friendly urban spaces. Participants are invited to join free fitness classes, kids’ events and other activities hosted by more than 50 local organizations. There will also be food vendors.
The route stretches from Market Square, along Forbes Avenue, through the Armstrong Tunnel, across the 10th Street Bridge and down East Carson Street. Intersections will not be closed to vehicular traffic, but parking along the route is prohibited from 3 a.m. until 3 p.m. Towing will start Saturday morning at 6 a.m.
This month’s OpenStreetsPGH is the first of three events this year promoting active transportation and human-centered urban spaces. A route will be open June 29 from the North Side to the Hill District, and on July 27 in Homewood.
Pittsburgh’s first Open Streets event took place in 2015. Organizers expect 15,000 - 20,000 participants on Saturday and say they’ve expanded route footprints to accommodate rapidly increasing participation.
A complete list of road closures and traffic crossings is available on OpenStreetsPGH’s website.
