Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Secret Service announces first phase of G-20 security closings

Secret Service announces first phase of G-20 security closings

Pittsburgh Business Times

The U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday announced the first phase of G-20 closings that will occur near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.

A secure restricted zone will be set up in an area near the convention center between 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 25. Roads that will be affected include major thoroughfares Penn Avenue and 10th Street.

The zone includes two components: a restricted pedestrian area and a restricted vehicle area. The restricted vehicle area extends from roughly 7th to 13th streets between the Allegheny River and Liberty Ave., as well as a portion of Grant Street. The smaller restricted pedestrian area extends around the convention center and includes part of the 10th Street bypass and the area in front of the convention center up to Penn Avenue.

Click here for a .pdf map of the security perimeter.

Scroll down to the bottom of the release to see the map.

Two checkpoints will be set up for people to enter the area on foot. The checkpoints will be located at 9th Street and Penn Avenue, and 10th Street and Liberty Ave.

Pedestrians will be screened using magnetometers. The following items will be prohibited within the security zone:
  • firearms,

  • ammunition,

  • explosives,

  • weapons of any kind,


  • any other items determined to be a “potential safety hazard.”

A waterside security zone will also be set up by the U.S. Coast Guard Capital of the Port to secure the waterways around Pittsburgh. The zone restrictions will run from 6 a.m. Sept. 24 through 10 p.m. Sept. 25. The zone includes the areas between the West End Bridge on the Ohio River, the South Shore Marina on the Allegheny River, and the 10th Street Bridge on the Monongahela River.

Airspace restrictions have previously been announced. For more details, go to www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsld=59419.

Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety plans to release a more comprehensive transportation plan next week for the G-20 summit. Maps and other safety information will be available then. Additional details about temporary closures near Phipps Conservatory and other event sites will also be announced in mid-September.

For more information, go to www.g20safety.org

--

Secret Service releases G-20 security information

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - The Secret Service has released details of the security perimeters for the G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh.

The Secret Service has created two perimeters around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, a smaller one for pedestrians and a larger one restricting vehicles.

The convention center takes up about a block and is bordered by a road and the Allegheny River on one side. Vehicle traffic is essentially restricted about three blocks on each side of the center. Pedestrians can get much closer, but there are two checkpoints to get to businesses and residences inside the restricted area.

The checkpoints go into effect at 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 and last until 8 p.m. on Sept. 25.

On the Net: http://www.g20safety.org/