DCNR begins upgrade work at Point State Park, closing routes for visitors
By Lily Stern / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With greatly increased visitor traffic expected in Pittsburgh next April for the 2026 NFL Draft, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has officially begun upgrading Point State Park.
New walkway construction work began Wednesday, the first of several anticipated temporary closures impacting park visitors.
Part of DCNR’s $3.4 million park refreshment, paving and milling on the blacktop walkways in Point State Park on the Great Lawn side, near the fountain, began on Wednesday. That portion of paving work is projected to end on June 11, barring storms.
The fountain, which typically is turned on in May, will remain off through the summer so its lighting system can be replaced.
In conjunction with the walkway improvements, there will be no pedestrian and bicycle traffic to the North Shore from June 4-6 and none to the South Shore from June 9-11.
On Wednesday morning, pedestrian bridge access to the North Shore was already marked as closed from both sides via signage placed in and around the park. The same is projected to happen early next week for South Shore access.
DCNR advises park visitors to find an “alternative recreational route” through the duration.
Additionally, the entrance to the green space that leads up to the fountain has been walled off to the public, with construction crews stripping and repaving the blacktop trails surrounding the Great Lawn.
“There’s no through traffic,” said Jake Weiland, manager of Point State Park. “But you can follow the Great Allegheny Passage along the Monongahela to the fountain.”
Attempting “to distribute as much information as we can,” per Mr. Weiland, signage is posted at multiple entrances to the park and at spots along the shuttered trails.
Visitors are advised to check online periodically for updates as construction projects continue through the summer.
Despite the fountain staying dry, Point State Park and the Point itself have had no shortage of visitors as summer approaches. At midmorning Wednesday, the park was filled with runners, schoolage children and other passersby.
However, there are now slightly fewer people than usual present at the middle of the day, according to Mr. Weiland.
“There’s been some decrease in visitation because we’re not currently hosting events,” Mr. Weiland said. “Events bring in a great deal of people, but [the reasons why not] resonate in the community.”
A swarm of cyclists en route to the river slowed down to ask Mr. Weiland what paths remained open, and he quickly directed them to the Great Allegheny Passage. In his eyes, a big undertaking during these renovation projects will be easing navigation for guests.
“It’s a lot of work redirecting a lot of people in a positive way,” Mr. Weiland said. “How many people have we seen go on [the closed] path who are going to get turned around later? We don’t want to see people waste that time.”
But it’s all meant to set the area up for success for next year’s draft and America’s 250th anniversary, which are anticipated to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city. Point State Park will be at the center of the action for both events.
The goal of the renovations is, according to Mr. Weiland, to uplift the entire city. “Point State Park is a jewel, a focal facility for the state,” he said. “We want to highlight the commonwealth.”
Other plans include upgrades to the park’s recreational amenities, utilities, landscaping and parking. The next phase, beginning June 16, will involve work on the concession parking lot and park property along Commonwealth Place, weather permitting.
The main anticipated closure this summer will take place during the Fourth of July, when the Point will not be open to view fireworks. DCNR advises attending city programming on the North Shore.