Among the numerous other Pittsburgh construction projects underway ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft is a complete refresh of Allegheny Riverfront Park. Since the summer, the work has closed off an entire lane of Ft. Duquesne Boulevard as contractors replace sidewalks and landscaping elements, in some cases shunting traffic onto parallel streets. (The improvements look very nice so far, by the way.)
As I’ve biked, bused, and driven through the area and successive detours around it, I’ve noticed something: the 10th St. Bypass and Ft. Duquesne Boulevard are rarely that busy, even during the morning commute. Both consist of four lanes of traffic plus some turning and parking lanes, taking up valuable real estate. The City of Pittsburgh has already seen the wisdom of permanently closing 8th Street to car traffic for the Arts Landing project — why not close parts of Ft. Duquesne and the bypass?
Once a muddy riverbank, then an elevated railway, then a tangle of streets and parking, what’s now Allegheny Riverfront Park was a keystone example of how Pittsburgh sacrificed our scenic riverfronts on the altar of heavy industry. The transformation of the land for recreational uses didn’t start until the late ’90s. Local boosters still see room for improvement, with plans to Complete the Loop gradually coming together as the city develops.
My suggestion: expand Allegheny Riverfront Park further by replacing inbound traffic lanes with landscaping and a wider trail. Pittsburgh’s addition of parkland and Complete Streets policies mean there’s precedent here (see Allegheny Circle). The remaining two lanes on either road could stay open to cars whether as one-way or two-way streets.
The benefits are many. For car-free Downtown and Strip District residents, there would be a greener ride to work. For car and bus commuters, an expanded park would mean a more pleasant morning trip. For all road users, additional trees and planters would add sound dampening as well as pollution and heat absorption.
Drivers would probably complain at first. But they’d adjust — studies have repeatedly found that traffic-calming measures only tend to add a few seconds to car commute time. Some users would also likely change routes, removing further traffic from the Allegheny riverfront, or switch to bus or bike, raising efficiency.
Another boon for Riverlife and the city would be more physical space for trail maintenance. Several nearly 30-year-old sections of the riverfront trail near the convention center are actually cantilevered over the water. Replacing roadways with park and trail space would offer an opportunity for maintenance or potential removal of the cantilevered sections without interrupting recreational use.
The net result would be a prettier riverfront for all.
I’d love to see more data on how and how much drivers actually use both Ft. Duquesne Boulevard and the 10th St. Bypass and how that’s changed over the years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered Downtown office use. If the current wisdom is to expand green spaces and grow the residential population in the Golden Triangle, these rivers of asphalt could become riverfronts of picnics and play.
Imagine, instead of a bumpy run over a narrow concrete trail, a greener route from Lawrenceville through to Downtown. You’d jog over what used to be car territory past a kayaking pier and a new floating bar à la Shore Thing on your way to the recently refurbished Point State Park. Perhaps, you think, the city might consider closing other four-lane thoroughfares… why not make inbound Bigelow Boulevard a bikeway, bringing more life to Frank Curto Park?
From East Liberty to Brighton Heights, traffic calming and added parks have brought welcome change to Pittsburgh’s streets. Perhaps it’s time to consider further reduction of underused thoroughfares as we progress toward a less car-centric future.
This article appears in Nov. 26-Dec. 2.
