Oakland prepared for service

The University and Port Authority are bracing for thousands of mourners visiting Oakland… The University and Port Authority are bracing for thousands of mourners visiting Oakland Thursday for the memorial service for three slain city police officers.

The procession from Downtown to Oakland and the 1 p.m. service at the Petersen Events Center will shut down Fifth Avenue beginning at 11 a.m.

The street will be closed between Bellefield and Craft avenues until about 4:30 p.m., said the Port Authority.

Outbound buses usually running on Fifth Avenue will use Forbes Avenue. Inbound buses will turn right off Fifth Avenue onto Bellefield Avenue, then turn down Bayard Street and onto Bigelow Boulevard. Buses will stop for passengers at Bigelow and Fifth by Soldiers ‘amp; Sailors Memorial.

They then will cross Fifth and Forbes avenues and proceed through Schenley Park, onto the Boulevard of the Allies and into Downtown.

The University will continue to operate normally Thursday, said Renny Clark, Pitt’s vice chancellor of community initiatives.

‘We’re asking everyone on campus to be in a spirit of compassion and citizenship and to reach out to the greater community in this time of sorrow,’ said Clark.

The Department of Health and Physical Activity has canceled aerobics and fitness classes held at the Petersen before 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The Baierl Recreation Center also will be closed until 6 in the evening that day.

Sodexo, which operates dining services in the Petersen, will not be altering hours of operation, though heavy traffic is expected in the building.

The memorial will honor city police officers Paul J. Sciullo II, Eric Kelly and Stephen J. Mayhle, who were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call Saturday in Stanton Heights, near Lawrenceville.

Richard Poplawski, 22, is charged with three counts of homicide in the shooting deaths of the officers.

More details on street closings, bus routes and restricted parking lots may be found at www.pitt.edu/memorial.