Police prepare for celebration, some streets to be closed

Although Pitt Police Officer Ronald Bennett wants the Steelers to win the Super Bowl this… Although Pitt Police Officer Ronald Bennett wants the Steelers to win the Super Bowl this Sunday, he knows that the crowds in Oakland will be harder to control than if the Steelers lose.

Bennett said that when the Steelers won the AFC Championship on Jan. 22, the Pitt Police mainly just extinguished a few fires, but vandalism could be a problem this Sunday.

“We want to be out there and enjoy ourselves because we know the Steelers will win,” Bennett said.

Bennett said officers will try to keep people off the streets and keep traffic moving, but he added that the Pitt Police “can only do [their] best depending on the amount of people.”

Officers from several different agencies will assist Pitt and city police Sunday. Allegheny County deputies, state troopers, Port Authority police officers and K-9 units, and mounted patrols will all be on hand.

The University issued a release Thursday that said there would be changes in traffic patterns Sunday from 9 p.m. until midnight. Forbes Avenue will be closed between McKee Place and Bigelow Boulevard; and Bigelow Boulevard will be closed between Fifth and Forbes avenues.

According to a release from the Pittsburgh Police Department, Bates Street at the Boulevard of the Allies will also be closed, and Oakland exits from 376 may be closed from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., depending on traffic levels.

The city police press release said closed streets will be accessible only to residents with proof of address, emergency vehicles, commercial trucks and buses.

Bennett said that when the Steelers went to the Super Bowl 10 years ago – as well as during the Steelers’ Super Bowl victories in the ’70s – the bus service stopped going Downtown and to Oakland.

“You were just kind of stuck where you ended up,” Bennett said.

According to Pitt’s press release, Port Authority buses will be rerouted to Fifth Avenue Sunday.

Although Bennett said vandalism wasn’t a big problem when the Steelers won the AFC Championship, he said local businesses might be overcrowded and people might break windows if they can’t enter the buildings.

John Elavsky, the owner of Hemingway’s, plans on closing Sunday.

“It’s just not worth it,” Elavsky said. “I want to enjoy the game and my staff wants to enjoy the game.”

Elavsky said he knew many students planned on having parties at their own homes and would be half-drunk by the time they arrived at the bars.

“We need the day off to root for the Steelers,” Elavsky said. “We will reopen after a Steeler victory.”

But Shannon Blose, the night-shift manager of the 7-Eleven on Forbes Avenue, said he isn’t worried about students vandalizing his business or acting inappropriate.

“The kids wouldn’t burn this place down,” Blose said. “Where else would they get their coffee?”

While Blose said he wasn’t in Oakland after the AFC Championship, he said students come in drunk all the time anyway and it is never a problem. He doesn’t think they will need any extra workers or be significantly busier than normal.

“We might close for 10 or 15 minutes if it gets weird,” Blose said, “but I doubt it.”

In its release, the University asked celebrants to remain on public sidewalks and public property. Pitt reminded people that open containers of alcohol are not permitted in public.