This summer, Riverlife hopes to initiate a process to bring a public art project to that stretch and to include the public, design professionals, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, community groups and the city in its planning.
“This piece is accessible and it’s used, but it’s underloved,” said Stephan Bontrager, spokesman for Riverlife, the nonprofit that formed 16 years ago to bring attention to Pittsburgh’s rivers. “We want to raise the profile of that space.”
When the portion of riverfront trail was completed alongside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in 2011, it was possible to walk from the Strip District to the Point without encountering cars. “I don’t have data on this, but I know the pedestrian traffic skyrocketed,” Mr. Bontrager said. “We’re hoping to capitalize on that energy.”