Pittsburgh Zoo parking lot and front entrance to get makeover

The deteriorating parking lot at The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is expected to get an overhaul, thanks to an Allegheny County gaming grant.

It will be the first extensive renovation to the lot in 40 years.

The zoo was awarded $450,000 through the county’s Gaming Economic Development and Tourism grant program, which will pay to rebuild the parking area and front entrance along Baker Street, sandwiched between Highland Park and Lawrenceville.

“The visitor parking lot has been in service for well over 40 years, which is well beyond usable life of pavement,” said Jaime Szoszorek, the zoo’s vice president of external relations. “While the zoo has been diligent in patching, seal coating, crack sealing and general lot maintenance over the decades, the pavement is in need of complete reconstruction and showing significant signs of deteriorating conditions.”

The zoo was among three local groups to share in more than $795,000 distributed through the county program.

Other projects include $245,248 going to the Allegheny Land Trust to buy four Millvale properties for the Girty’s Woods Conservation Project and $100,000 allocated to O’Hara to help pay for a pollutant reduction plan along Powers Run Road.

Work at the zoo is scheduled for 2022.

Specifically, the project will add handicapped-accessible parking spaces and upgrade drop-off spots for school buses.

Uneven surfaces will be repaired, and worn directional arrows and spacing lines will be painted.

Construction is aimed at improving safety for the nearly 1million visitors the zoo attracts each year.

Most recently, the zoo welcomed three new African lion cubs — the first at the zoo since 1975 — that attracted much fanfare.

The zoo, this summer, also hosted drive-thru tours of the more than 4,000 animals that live on the park’s 77-acre campus as a way of allowing visitors to social distance during the pandemic.

Brittany Balandis, director of marketing for the zoo, said the site is gearing up to offer another unique attraction this holiday season.

The first-ever Zoo Lights Drive-Thru will happen on select nights from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3 and offer visits that are safe under covid-19 restrictions.

“Guests can drive through the zoo at night as thousands of environmentally friendly LED lights transform the park into an unforgettable winter wonderland,” Balandis said.

When construction begins, Szoszorek said there will be plenty of parking available for visitors as work is done in segments. The project prioritizes work based on proximity to the main entrance, frequency of use and required needs by heavy city and zoo vehicles.