Redd Up for the Black-and-Gold Before the NFL Draft
More than 400 tons of litter have been removed from the region since the September 2025 launch of the Immaculate Collection.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
There’s been a lot of trash-talking around town in anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft.
On March 20, the first day of spring and Mister Rogers’ 98th birthday, officials gathered at the City-County Building Downtown to give an update on the Immaculate Collection, a region-wide clean-up and beautification effort.
“This is about economic development and community development and taking pride in the place we call home,” says Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
Since last fall’s kick-off, 400 tons of litter have been removed from highways and county neighborhoods and more than $1 million has been raised to keep the process going long after the football festivities wrap up on April 25.
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Clean Team is out in full force, painting rusty trestles and power-washing sidewalks before 500,000 to 700,000 gridiron fans touchdown in the city.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy plans to fill 420 Downtown street planters with black and gold pansies grown in local nurseries and adorn the city and its three Sister Bridges with 400 hanging baskets, featuring snapdragons, petunias, pansies and verbena. The Conservancy is also planting trees and seasonal plants at its General Robinson Street community flower garden on the North Side, and planting 400 trees across the region as part of the NFL Draft legacy project.
Friends of the Riverfront has expanded its volunteer efforts to remove litter, invasive plants and debris from trails and riverfronts, while also planting pollinator gardens and trees to restore and enhance these spaces.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is making enhancements and preparing the fountains at Mellon Square Park, and Riverlife’s recently launched UpKeep initiative is supporting increased care and maintenance efforts in April.
Cleanup efforts along 50 miles of major highways leading into and out of Downtown, including I-376 East and West, I-279 and Route 28, will continue for two years following the Draft. According to a 2019 study by Keep PA Beautiful, more than 500 million pieces of litter can be found on Keystone State roadways, mostly in the form of plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cigarette butts and food packaging items.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Local schools are getting involved, too. From March 23 through April 5, students from Point Park University, Duquesene University, Carlow University, University of Pittsburgh, Chatham University, Community College of Allegheny County, Robert Morris University and LaRoche University will redd up hotspots around campus and the county. You can monitor each team’s trash stash via a leaderboard adapted by the city and its Garbage Olympics on the Immaculate Collection’s website.
Caily Grube, executive director of Allegheny CleanWays, the organization spearheading the movement, called on all citizens to pitch in by volunteering for a community cleanup event, which are also posted on the Immaculate Collection website. More than 50 neighborhood litter-busting campaigns have been held since September.
Plans are in the works for a public-private coalition to induce systemic change, including a public education campaign to change behavior, and collaborations to reduce litter at its source. Fundraising will continue in support of these efforts.
“Our plan is to sustain this effort long after the Draft with the community’s support, so we can keep the region clean, beautiful and healthy for all residents,” Grube said in a statement.
This year, Earth Day falls on April 22, the eve of the NFL Draft.
