Pittsburgh residents grow frustrated as Three Rivers Arts Festival creates parking issues

PITTSBURGH — Several downtown residents are frustrated that they are being forced out of a parking lot they are paying for because of this summer’s two-week arts festival.

This June, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is holding the entire Three Rivers Arts Festival in the Cultural District and moving it out of Point State Park because of new rules and regulations.

Due to the festival, dozens of residents are being kicked out of a parking lot in the Cultural District, including Tyler Smith.

“It’s pretty disappointing. I pay a lot of money to park in this parking lot, as many other people do,” said Smith.

Smith said he pays $185 every month to park here, right next to his apartment.

During the two-week festival that runs from June 1-16, the Cultural Trust is forcing several lease holders on Seventh Street and Fort Duquesne, and Eighth Street and the Fort Duquesne Lot to park at the garage at Theater Square.

Even though there are no additional costs, Smith says it’s a major inconvenience, especially for those in the medical field who are sometimes in a hurry to get to work at any given time.

“The downside of that is that we have to get our parking validated each time we go to our car, and it’s a very long garage to go up and down,” said Smith. “I think the easiest solution is to let us park in our parking lot that we are paying for and to follow our lease agreement.”

He also said it’s a safety issue, as he’s parking further away from his place downtown. Other residents are worried about their pets, because this area will be open to the public which many of them use for their dogs.

“My main concern were the dogs living here and across the street,” said John Yeager. “This is where they come outside; the increase in traffic, people and garbage out here.”

The city’s cultural trust said, “While we anticipate the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival with excitement, we acknowledge that production will cause some interruptions to daily routines. We sincerely thank residents for temporarily moving their vehicles to Theater Square Garage to allow this area to be transformed into a dynamic concert and festival grounds that will be a magnet for drawing tens of thousands. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust thanks all community partners in advance whose patience and support will help to generate millions of dollars in economic activity that will uplift downtown Pittsburgh.”

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