University Times

Plans to get football fans to the Panthers' temporary North Side home field are in place, according to Parking and Transportation director G. Robert Harkins. Pitt will play six home games at Three Rivers Stadium this fall and will begin playing in the Steelers' new stadium in fall 2001.

On game days, Pitt, with city authorization, plans to close Bigelow Boulevard in the block between the William Pitt Union and the Cathedral of Learning about four hours before kick-off. Between 30 and 50 buses will be available for stadium departure in that block three hours before game time and will run continuously until the game starts. Anyone with a game ticket may ride the shuttles free of charge.

Buses are expected to unload at Three Rivers Stadium Gates A and B, and return from outside Gate C. Buses for the return trip will run during and after the games, with the Cathedral of Learning as the drop-off point in Oakland.

Additionally, shuttles will loop through North Oakland and through South Oakland before the games. (For schedule information on the Oakland shuttles, 624-8800.

The Pittsburgh Port Authority plans extra service on game days, too, Harkins said. Buses will run directly to the stadium from Station Square, the Mellon Arena and the Strip District.

Several buses for park-and-riders also will run from Ross Park Mall, Century III Mall, Coraopolis and Monroeville on game days, but these suburban shuttles are subject to the zone-fair charges. For scheduling and rate information, contact: 442-2000.

The Gateway Clipper boat ride from Station Square to the North Side will operate on schedules that are in effect for Pirates and Steelers home games. (For information, 355-7979.

Groups who have hired their own buses are asked to contact Gerald Kvortek, Parking and Transportation, at 624-8801. "We want to give drivers instructions about the best routes and parking. There will be bus parking space, but it will be controlled," Harkins said.

Fans should remember that the Pitt-Port Authority agreement for those with Pitt IDs is in effect, Harkins said. "They can still hop a regular bus and get off at Market Square or the Hilton downtown and take the pedestrian bridge right to the stadium," he pointed out.

Harkins said the game transportation plan was a cooperative agreement with input from Pitt students, especially the Student Government Board, Pitt's administration and the Port Authority.

Parking near the stadium is limited due to construction. Fans are advised to seek alternatives to driving to the stadium.

"We're in pretty good shape," Harkins said. "I only ask that fans be a little bit patient and allow enough time for the trip. With all the construction on the North Side, Pittsburghers know it's not just a quick trip down there. That goes not just for us, but for the Pirates and Steelers games, too."

Harkins admits some fine-tuning of the game-day transportation might be necessary. "We're going to do a little experimentation with the routes we take for that first game, to see how it goes with the construction situation, but I think by the second game we'll have that worked out," he said.

Pitt opens the home football season Sept. 2 with a 3:30 p.m. game against Kent.

–Peter Hart