PHOTO VIA FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

It is easy to leave small things behind during the rush to prepare for St. Patrick’s Day parties, but Pittsburgh City Council wants you to forget something big this year: your car. 

Bruce Kraus, who represents the neighborhood on the council, detailed the various transportation options for those visiting the South Side during a press conference on March 5. The council is asking those celebrating Saturday to not bring their vehicles to protect themselves and others. 

“You can come to the South Side and enjoy everything the South Side has to offer, and you can leave one thing behind when you come and that’s your vehicle,” says Kraus. 

As an alternative to driving, the black and pink Nite Rider will return during the festivities, running free of charge until 5 a.m. Sunday. The shuttle will have stops at First Avenue, Second Avenue, Bedford Square on 12th Street, South 18th Street and South 21st Street at East Carson.

During the busy period at 2 p.m., the city will add a second shuttle to the route. This shuttle, which can be identified by a shamrock pattern, will run until 3 a.m. on Sunday.

In addition to the shuttles, the city will add cars to the Light Rail and have extra buses on the P1 line to Downtown. The buses will stop running at midnight, while the light rails will remain open until 1:30 a.m.

The city has also partnered with ride-sharing apps Uber and ZTrip to provide codes for free rides during the festivities. First-time riders can use the code “PGHParade2020” for Uber or “ZLuck” for the ZTrip app.

In addition to keeping the roads clear, the city will install 40 portable toilets across the South Side event areas and have crews actively cleaning the area throughout the evening.