Pittsburgh's Official Christmas Tree To Cause Traffic Headaches

PITTSBURGH, PA — Delivery of the 40-foot official city of Pittsburgh Christmas tree will cause traffic headaches in and around Pittsburgh Saturday.

The blue spruce, donated by the Guardian Angels Catholic Parish of Natrona Heights Springdale campus will make the journey from Springdale to the City-County Building, Downtown. Once there, it will be adorned with lights and ornaments and serve as the city’s official tree through the new year.

Drivers can expect temporary delays and rolling traffic closures beginning at 7:30 a.m. along Freeport Road in Springdale to the Hulton Bridge; along Allegheny Avenue in Oakmont; along Allegheny River Boulevard through Verona and Penn Hills and along Washington Boulevard to the Fifth Avenue entrance to the East Busway.

Travel around the City-County Building will be restricted Saturday to permit the city Department of Public Works forestry division to install the tree. Closures will take place from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. and affect Grant Street between Third Avenue and First Avenue.

On Sunday, the northbound travel lane of Grant Street closest to the City-County Building will be closed from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. so crews can complete the tree decorating.

The tree is one of Downtown’s oldest traditions with the first official city Christmas tree erected in 1914 on what then was the City-County Building construction site.