My family recently attended two outstanding CLO productions, “Jersey Boys” and “Godspell,” on June 11 and July 16, respectively, at the Benedum. Unfortunately, excessive parking rates and traffic jams due to bridge closures have dampened our enthusiasm for future weekend shows.
The “Jersey Boys” show coincided with the Three Rivers Arts Festival, and the parking rates in the Cultural District were extremely high. The event parking rate at the Sixth and Penn Garage was $40 rather than the normal rate of $15. The “Godspell” show coincided with the Picklesburgh festival with the accompanying closure of the Ninth Street Bridge in addition to the already closed Sixth Street Bridge, resulting in a massive traffic jam that turned a normal 30-minute commute into an hour-and-15-minute nightmare.
City event planners, if you want to keep the Cultural District theater seats filled, use some common sense and avoid planning concurrent events in the Cultural District other than theater productions, and reduce your exorbitant event parking rates. The Cultural District theater venues are a jewel for Pittsburgh residents who value fine entertainment, and it would be a shame to lose long-standing patrons due to excessive parking rates and poor logistical traffic planning.
Joe Fischerkeller
McCandless