Editor’s note: This is the first Guest Commentary published by Pittsburgh’s Public Source. For more information on this new community storytelling space, click here.
Beloved by Pittsburghers, the Roberto Clemente Bridge is known, too, across the country from frequent telecasts of Steelers and Pirates games. As a local architect, though, I have always thought of the Clemente as an untapped resource.
At less than 1,000 feet across, the bridge feels intimate at deck-level, contrasting with its dramatic towers, cables and girders — all, of course, painted in Aztec Gold.
Although I have driven across the Clemente many times over the years, its real power is revealed when the bridge is closed for events. I’ve taken my kids to Octoberfest when it was hosted partially on the span, and have walked across it with my family after a Pirates game at PNC Park. At night, the Downtown skyline is stunning, and the lights reflecting off the Allegheny River give the bridge a magical aura.
After experiencing the Clemente as a charming pedestrian walkway, I started thinking about how it could be transformed into a community amenity. For years, I have been thinking about the possibilities of converting the bridge into a linear park and closing it to traffic permanently. With the revitalization of Downtown in-progress, the Clemente has the potential to be an important part of the process. Making the bridge a linear park could spur growth for the city — drawing tourists, establishing a cultural attraction and encouraging mobility and social interaction.
For years the bridge has been closed to traffic during home sports games, allowing it to function as a pedestrian crossing, and, in a sense, acting as a proof-of-concept for its potential conversion into a car-free environment.
My vision is for a vibrant linear park crosswoven with bike lanes and walkways, with a permanent garden, seating areas and spaces for temporary programming, such as pop-up shops and arts installations.
It could also host civic initiatives such as blood-drives and job recruitment fairs. The foot of the bridge, on the ballpark end side, could function as a concert stage area for theater, music and dance performances.
Of course, there are several other possible activities suitable for the Clemente, including fitness classes, farmers markets and educational fairs. And the bridge could serve as a platform for national or regional events, such as next year’s NFL draft and national holiday celebrations. The success of similar projects in Dallas (the Ronald Kirk Bridge) and New York City (the High Line), highlight the possibilities for Downtown.
While closing the bridge to vehicles would effectively end its federal funding stream, there are other financial solutions to reach for, including private investment.
That investment would pay off. Transforming the bridge into a linear park is an obvious and easy way to revive Downtown as the region’s economic and cultural anchor. Successes in other cities show the potential, and we already know how inspiring an afternoon on a traffic-free bridge can be.
Nathan St.Germain is an architect and principal at Studio St.Germain and can be reached through the contact form at www.studiostgermain.com.
Views and to-dos from your Pittsburgh neighbors.