State police to shut inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel ahead of Pittsburgh's July 4 fireworks

Pennsylvania State Police plan to shut down the inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel on Thursday night, shortly before Independence Day fireworks are scheduled to start shooting into the sky from nearby Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Inbound traffic on Interstate 376 will be blocked at 9 p.m. from Exit 67 at the Green Tree/Mt. Lebanon interchange into the Fort Pitt Tunnel, Trooper Rocco Gagliardi told TribLive.

Police plan to reopen the Parkway East about five minutes after the fireworks end around 10 p.m.

State police are concerned motorists driving into Downtown could be distracted by the fireworks, Gagliardi said. State police on motorcycles also plan to patrol bridges near Downtown.

Previous Independence Day events have drawn upwards of 20,000 people to Point State Park, according to Pittsburgh event organizers.

Inclement weather this week could impact those numbers. The National Weather Service has forecast that scattered thunderstorms could hit the Pittsburgh area Thursday, though many will affect areas south of Interstate 70.

It remained unclear if other tunnels would be closed elsewhere in Pennsylvania due to fireworks displays. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials confirmed Thursday night’s closure of part of Fort Pitt Bridge but did not elaborate.

Some important information regarding tomorrow’s Firework showing! pic.twitter.com/E6yOUVgMVz

— Troopers Gagliardi and Barnhart (@PSPTroopBPIO) July 3, 2024

Pittsburgh police and first responders will employ an “all-hands-on-deck” approach Thursday to ensure the safety of Pittsburghers reveling at Point State Park, public safety officials said this week.

Pittsburgh police will be out in force and “highly visible” before, during and after events and fireworks at the Downtown park, Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt and other officials said Wednesday. State police, Port Authority Police, Allegheny County Police and multiple mounted units will assist.

Pittsburgh’s Emergency Medical Services will post “medic units” at two locations in Point State Park while additional EMS staff make rounds Downtown, on the North Shore and in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood, Schmidt said.

Two river rescue boats and the Pittsburgh fire boat will patrol the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.

“Tomorrow will be all-hands-on-deck for all of public safety,” Schmidt said press conference Wednesday in front of Point State Park’s iconic fountain.

The Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security will provide light towers for additional illumination at priority locations Downtown.

Light bag checks will be conducted by security at the various entrances to the park.

The pedestrian entrance to Point State Park will close at 9:30 p.m., with fireworks set to begin around 9:35 p.m., Schmidt said. The park will feature a family-friendly atmosphere from 4 to 10 p.m. Free live musical performances are scheduled.

Food vendors — hawking everything from French fries and corn dogs to funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos — were setting up in the park Wednesday morning.

No boats can moor along Point State Park’s river walks during the Independence Day festivities, Schmidt said.

Some roads will be closed Downtown, including parts of Commonwealth Place and Liberty Avenue, police said. The Parkway East’s ramp to Liberty Avenue will close at 6 p.m., with motorists being detoured onto Boulevard of the Allies.

A hot air balloon and live music is slated for the Great Lawn near the Allegheny River, police said. That will lead police to close parts of Reedsdale Street, Casino Drive and West General Robinson Street to incoming traffic at 7 p.m.

Police also will close roads on Mt. Washington at 6 p.m., including parts of Grandview Avenue, P.J. McArdle Roadway and Route 51, police said.

Expect lines to get into Point State Park, especially as crowds grow later in the day, Schmidt said. Public safety officials and security teams are using a “walk-through system” this year, in place of metal-detecting wands, to scan for weapons and illicit items. Police dogs will be deployed to check for drugs and fireworks.

Fireworks are prohibited at Point State Park, officials stressed.

The city’s Office of Special Events plans to run three stations in Point State Park as meet-up points for missing children, city officials said.

“Essentially, our goal is to keep our city safe,” public safety Assistant Director David Jones said.

Event organizers do have a rain date in mind if inclement weather hits, said Schmidt without elaborating.