The Loop covers 15 miles of riverfront space between the West End, Hot Metal, and the 31st Street Bridges.
Our vision for 15 miles and 1,055 acres of Pittsburgh riverfronts.
Since 1999, Riverlife has worked to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, overseeing a $132 million investment that has transformed decaying and abandoned spaces along the riverfronts into 15 miles and 1,055 acres of award-winning, nationally recognized parks, trails, and green space.
While today’s riverfronts boast world-class moments, challenges and gaps remain in creating a world-class experience that is enjoyed equally by everyone. Completing the Loop is our vision for filling those gaps and creating a cohesive riverfront experience that contains thriving spaces and can be accessed and enjoyed by all.
After months of evaluating riverfront conditions and interviewing riverfront stakeholders by Riverlife and evolveEA have created the Completing the Loop Report, a comprehensive look at our goals, visions, and plans for the future of the Loop. We are excited to share it with you now.
Read the Completing the Loop Report now
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Our Goal
Complete and Enhance the Loop
Strategy:
- Advance key Loop projects that complete the network of open spaces, trails, and parks along the riverfronts and into neighborhoods.
- Refresh and reposition key parts of the Loop with signature infrastructure and placemaking investments.
- Activate and celebrate the riverfront through catalytic programming.
- Leverage thought leadership role to create a cohesive world-class riverfront experience.
ONE LOOP COMPRISED OF THREE RIVER ROOMS
A great riverfront is more than the sum of its parts, and Pittsburgh’s rivers need a holistic approach. River rooms organize districts and focus on cross-river connections, placing the rivers at the heart of the Loop. Read about each of the three river rooms:
Allegheny River Room
The Allegheny is Pittsburgh’s recreational river with more opportunities to access the river for boating and fishing and less barge traffic. We envision a future with public parks, public river landings, and trailheads to support festivals, recreation, and enjoyment that are accessible to residents throughout the region.
Learn more about the Allegheny River Room
Confluence River Room
This downtown area was Pittsburgh’s original Loop. We envision a future where past investments in the Golden Triangle and the North Shore are balanced by investment in public parks, amenities, and open space around the West End Bridge.
Learn more about the Confluence River Room
Monongahela River Room
This area presents challenges to connecting people to the Monongahela. We envision a future where parks and trails celebrate the river and where the neighborhoods of the Hill District, Uptown, and South Oakland can easily get to riverfronts. On the South Side we will work with partners to activate the trail and create better connections from the neighborhood to the river and between the trail and the river.
Learn more about the Monongahela River Room
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FILL THE GAPS
As we continue to implement plans and fundraise for riverfront capital improvements and maintenance funding, it’s essential to have the support of community members like you. Your individual donation powers our work, helping us create thriving, world-class riverfronts that are essential to our region and belong to everyone. Thank you!
Want to learn more about how we got here? Watch the video of our “Completing the Loop” virtual public meeting. You’ll see exciting preliminary design recommendations for projects that will help fill gaps in the city’s riverfront network and make the experience more welcoming for everyone.
You can also show your support by signing our petition!
Funding for our Completing the Loop initiative was provided by Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Riverlife, and the Environmental Stewardship Fund, a grant program of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
