Despite being more than two weeks out from the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, road closures are already underway as the Steel City prepares for a wave of football players and fans.
The draft is set to take place from April 23–25 at Acrisure Stadium, home of the Steelers, while the fan experience will be stationed around Point State Park. Already, city officials have begun blocking traffic in some nearby areas, and more roads will shut down in the coming weeks.
Advertisement
These are all the road closures to anticipate.
What part of Pittsburgh will have road closures for the 2026 NFL Draft?
Certain streets in both Downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore will temporarily close to vehicle traffic. The goal, according to Visit Pittsburgh, is to provide a safe and walkable “Draft Campus” while balancing the needs of the community and the buzz of the event.
Which Pittsburgh roads have already shut down for the NFL Draft?
Three roads closed on March 28 and were scheduled to remain blocked through April 21. These roads, all near Acrisure Stadium, include:
-
West General Robinson Street to Tony Dorsett Drive
What roads will close mid-April before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh?
The next set of roads will close on April 13 and remain blocked to vehicle traffic through April 21. They include:
Advertisement
-
Casino Drive starting at Sproat Way
-
North Shore Drive to Chuck Noll Way
-
Reedsdale Street to Tony Dorsett Drive
What Pittsburgh streets will be blocked in late April?
A set of 18 roads will close on April 22 and remain shut down through April 25, while a smaller group will be blocked from April 26 through May 1.
The April 22 through April 25 closures include:
-
North Shore Drive from Chuck Noll Way to Mazeroski Way
-
West General Robinson Street
-
I-279 southbound Exit 1B ramp
-
Route 65 southbound ramp to Fort Duquesne Bridge
-
Route 65 northbound ramp from Fort Duquesne Bridge
-
T1 ramp from Reedsdale Street
-
6th Street Bridge, or the Roberto Clemente Bridge
-
7th Street Bridge, or the Andy Warhol Bridge
-
Fort Pitt Bridge on-ramp from 10th Street Bypass
-
Penn Avenue from Stanwix Street to 9th Street
-
Liberty Avenue/PPG Paints Arena Exit off Fort Pitt Bridge
Roads closed from April 26 through May 1 include:
-
Casino Drive from Sproat Way
-
North Shore Drive to Chuck Noll Way
-
Reedsdale Street to Tony Dorsett Drive
What roads will be closed in early May?
Only a few roads will close in the early parts of May.
May 2 through May 6, the following roads will shut down:
May 7 through May 10, three more streets will be blocked to vehicle traffic. These include:
-
West General Robinson Street to Tony Dorsett Drive
Will there be parking near the 2026 NFL Draft?
Parking will be available in Downtown Pittsburgh and in Station Square garages. Visitors can also use public transit, like the Gateway Clipper or the “T” light rail system.
Advertisement
Parking can be reserved ahead of time through platforms like ParkWhiz, and the ParkPGH app and website can provide users with real-time updates on parking availability.
Will Pittsburgh schools close during the NFL Draft?
Pittsburgh Public Schools will swap to remote learning from April 22 through April 24, according to a report by ESPN.
The goal, PPS Superintendent Wayne N. Walters said in a statement, is to maintain “continuity of learning while recognizing the extraordinary circumstances the city will experience during the NFL Draft.”
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at [email protected]. X: @_finchwalker. Instagram: @finchwalker_.
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Avoid these roads, find parking during NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
Read the full article here