North Shore prepares for crowds as concerts roll into Pittsburgh

Three major concerts and a Steelers game will bring thousands to Pittsburgh’s North Shore over the next four days, and officials urged everyone planning to converge on the area to plan ahead.

Billy Joel performs tonight at PNC Park, followed by Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Joan Jett and others on Friday. Metallica plays the park on Sunday. Sandwiched in between, the Steelers play their first preseason game against the Seahawks on Saturday.

With all that is happening, public safety is key, said Assistant Pittsburgh Police Chief Linda Barone.

“We are working with organizers and our vendors to make sure we have the resources in place to keep everyone safe,” she said.

Barone said some vendors and organizers have contracted off-duty officers to work as security, and there will be on-duty officers on patrol as well. She said Pittsburgh police will get an assist from partners in the Allegheny County Police and state police.

“One of the things that I would ask, to help us help you, if you’re coming down and you have your car and you have things in your car … put them out of sight,” Barone said.

“Out of sight, out of mind,” she said, will lower the risk of thefts from inside vehicles.

In terms of getting to the North Shore, construction will be light on the major arteries into town. The only hiccup, according to PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan, will be on Route 28.

Drivers will see single-lane restrictions from the Delafield Avenue exit to just south of the Harmar exit as crews work on a crossover that will begin next weekend. The single-lane restriction at the Highland Park Bridge interchange also remains in effect.

Live Nation, the events promoter hosting the three PNC Park concerts, urged patience and planning in an email to ticket-holders, noting that road closures around the ballpark should be expected. That includes Federal Street, Mazeroski Way and North Shore Drive, according to the email.

PNC Park, as it is for ball games, is cashless, and thus no money will be accepted. Reverse ATMs are available to convert cash to a pre-paid card.

No bags larger than 8 inches by 5 inches by 1 inch will be permitted, and mobile storage lockers will be available on Federal Street for a fee.