As Pittsburgh prepares to host the 2026 NFL Draft, residents and business owners beyond the draft campus, especially in the Strip District, are preparing for some major changes to their routine and looking for some plans. “I’m not moving my car for five days,” said Elise Miranda, who works for Wigle Whiskey. “My car is not going to move, but we can walk everywhere from here. That’s what makes this neighborhood so convenient,” neighborhood resident Anthony Dean added. For many Pittsburghers, visiting the Strip District already comes with concerns about parking. With hundreds of thousands of football fans expected to pour into the city for the NFL Draft, neighbors say it is hard to imagine just how heavy traffic may be.Even though there is no official NFL Draft programming planned for the Strip District, residents and business owners expect a surge of visitors, and they’re excited. “We expect to serve thousands of people coming into Pittsburgh,” Miranda said.“Everyone’s got to eat, right?” said Pamela Austin, president of the group Strip District Neighbors. “You need a hotel.”Austin said parking remains one of the biggest unknowns. “We do have a lot of surface parking lots in the neighborhood,” she said. “So, you know, we have had in the history of our neighborhood park and rides to help downtown. So I think one of the questions I had was, where are we going to have any kind of arrangements that this district could help with some of the parking needs?”Visit Pittsburgh said a comprehensive traffic and transportation plan will be released five weeks before the NFL Draft. The plan will include public transit options and systems extending into surrounding counties.“PRT is doing a really great job of working within their system,” said Jerad Bachar of Visit Pittsburgh. “They are going to create independent park and rides in the north, the south, the east and the west that are uniquely specific for the draft. Expanding capacity as well as frequency to get people in using the light rail system.”Many neighbors say they are looking forward to the economic boost and the opportunity to showcase a city on the rise.

PITTSBURGH —

As Pittsburgh prepares to host the 2026 NFL Draft, residents and business owners beyond the draft campus, especially in the Strip District, are preparing for some major changes to their routine and looking for some plans.

“I’m not moving my car for five days,” said Elise Miranda, who works for Wigle Whiskey.

“My car is not going to move, but we can walk everywhere from here. That’s what makes this neighborhood so convenient,” neighborhood resident Anthony Dean added.

For many Pittsburghers, visiting the Strip District already comes with concerns about parking. With hundreds of thousands of football fans expected to pour into the city for the NFL Draft, neighbors say it is hard to imagine just how heavy traffic may be.

Even though there is no official NFL Draft programming planned for the Strip District, residents and business owners expect a surge of visitors, and they’re excited.

“We expect to serve thousands of people coming into Pittsburgh,” Miranda said.

“Everyone’s got to eat, right?” said Pamela Austin, president of the group Strip District Neighbors. “You need a hotel.”

Austin said parking remains one of the biggest unknowns.

“We do have a lot of surface parking lots in the neighborhood,” she said. “So, you know, we have had in the history of our neighborhood park and rides to help downtown. So I think one of the questions I had was, where are we going to have any kind of arrangements that this district could help with some of the parking needs?”

Visit Pittsburgh said a comprehensive traffic and transportation plan will be released five weeks before the NFL Draft. The plan will include public transit options and systems extending into surrounding counties.

“PRT is doing a really great job of working within their system,” said Jerad Bachar of Visit Pittsburgh. “They are going to create independent park and rides in the north, the south, the east and the west that are uniquely specific for the draft. Expanding capacity as well as frequency to get people in using the light rail system.”

Many neighbors say they are looking forward to the economic boost and the opportunity to showcase a city on the rise.