Open Streets will close parts of Forbes and East Carson

Sunday event to offer variety of activities

Pittsburgh’s Open Streets promotion, designed to get people outside to participate in activities as diverse as biking and yoga, will move through two neighborhoods — South Side and Uptown — on Sunday.

But with Open Streets comes the closure of busy thoroughfares such as portions of Forbes Avenue and East Carson Street from about 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with parking prohibited after 3 a.m. Forbes will be closed from Market Square to the Birmingham Bridge and East Carson between 10th Street and the bridge for activities scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Open Streets, coordinated by Bike Pittsburgh and the city with funding from a slew of organizations and foundations, is beginning its third full year. In the past, it has closed streets starting from Downtown to the Strip District and Lawrenceville or to the North Side and West End to encourage people to use the streets for activities, some scheduled by the sponsors and others set up by residents or businesses.

For example, sponsors will have stages with 11 scheduled activities at Market Square (People’s Natural Gas), Forbes and Gist Street in Uptown, and 12th Street and East Carson on the South Side (both Highmark).

Other activities in the neighborhoods will include a $10 fill-abag sale from a group of used clothing stores coordinated by Three Rivers Vintage at 20th Street and East Carson and jugglers and puppeteers performing near the Duquesne University campus in Uptown.

The best thing is, most everything is free.

“It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of day,” said Matt Carroll, event coordinator for Bike

It’s the first time she can remember the neighborhood closing its main street for an extended period.

“We were pleasantly surprised how the businesses have come forward and wanted to participate,” she said.

“It’s a daytime, familyfriendly event for people, and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Ditto Uptown, where Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh has been working with community stakeholders to plan activities. Project manager Joe Wingenfeld said the event is an opportunity to showcase the neighborhood to people who probably have only driven through previously to go between Oakland and Downtown.

“We’re very excited to give and provide that different perspective to people who have just passed through here before,” he said.

Open Streets will have two other events: June 25 using the North Side and West End course and July 30 in the Strip District and Lawrenceville. Forbes Ave from Market Square to the Birmingham Bridge East Carson St Between Birmingham Bridge and 10th St. Roadways will reopen promptly at 1:30 p.m. A. Forbes Ave. &

Wood St. B. Forbes Ave. &

Smithfield St. C. Forbes Ave. &

Grant St. D. Forbes Ave. &

Sixth St. 579 E. 10th St. &

Bingham St. F. E. Carson to S. 10th St. (no through traffic) G. E. Carson & 13th St. H. E. Carson & 18th St. I. E. Carson & 21st St. Birmingham bridge will be open to car traffic in both directions on the northbound span 10th St Bridge and Armstrong Tunnels will be closed J. Forbes Ave. & McAnulty Dr. K. Forbes Ave. & Stevenson St. (garage access only for Mercy Hospital L. Forbes Ave. & Pride St. M. Forbes Ave. &

Jumonville St. N. Birmingham Bridge