PITTSBURGH — City officials broke ground Tuesday on the Smithfield Street Reconstruction Project in Downtown Pittsburgh. The project encompasses an area spanning from Liberty Avenue to Fort Pitt Boulevard.
Mayor Corey O’Connor, Councilman Bobby Wilson and Department of Mobility and Infrastructure Director Jeff Skalican attended the event under Kaufmann’s Clock.
Phase one of the project covers Smithfield Street from Forbes Avenue to Sixth Avenue. Construction on this first phase is expected to last 18 to 24 months.
The reconstruction is funded through a combination of federal and local sources, with 80% coming from federal funds and 20% coming from local funds.
The overall project includes a full reconstruction of the roadway, expanded sidewalks, new curbs, safety bump outs, updated signage, pavement markings, street landscaping and infrastructure for upgraded lighting. The corridor’s existing transit-only lane will be maintained.
Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor spoke about the corridor’s role in the city during the event.
“Smithfield Street has historically been an iconic destination for transit, shopping and culture in Downtown Pittsburgh,” O’Connor said. “With the public amenities like the bus lines, park, library, housing and storefront opportunities for small businesses, it’s time to reinvest in the vibrancy of this main street. Thank you to DOMI, City Planning, PDP, PennDOT and everyone who has worked to make this longtime vision a reality.”
Department of Mobility and Infrastructure Skalican noted the logistical efforts involved in the undertaking.
“This Project is an example of the high-level coordination we strive for in everything we do,” Skalican said. “We’re bringing together a diverse group of project stakeholders with complex needs on one of Pittsburgh’s most important streets in order to modernize infrastructure and improve the pedestrian experience.”
The initiative is a high-impact priority of the Downtown Mobility Plan, which was created between 2019 and 2021 in partnership with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Department of City Planning. The project was previously referred to as “Smithfield Reimagined.”
Phase one is being executed in partnership with GFT Infrastructure for design and engineering, Merante Contracting for construction and Michael Baker International for construction management.
Future phases of the project are planned to expand south to Fort Pitt Boulevard and north to Liberty Avenue following Phase one.
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