If your first time navigating the city of Pittsburgh is coming during Draft week, we wish you luck.
As a Philly native that’s in Pittsburgh a couple times a year, hear me out.
If you’re driving to the NFL draft, and you see this…you have about 3 seconds MAX to make the right decision or you’re COOKED. pic.twitter.com/NzlfWAbhIt
— KIΠG KUΠT∆ (@RNB215) April 21, 2026
Pittsburgh, a city known for its bridges, tunnels, and non-grid layout, is a tough city to drive through. Add the NFL Draft, as well as a blockade in the river, and you have an incredibly difficult task at hand.
With a population of around 300,000, Pittsburgh is expecting 700,000+ to attend Draft festivities around the city this week, only adding more chaos to the difficulty of driving.
if you are driving to the draft, you might already be cooked 😭
— Hailraiser Nation (@HailraiserNaysh) April 22, 2026
your GPS will start to act like a compass in the Bermuda Triangle too https://t.co/HtYEry0QzJ
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 22, 2026
On top of ground transportation being an issue, the blockade in the river outside Heinz Field is being enforced by the US Coast Guard to ensure public safety.
The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh will enforce a security zone on local waterways during the NFL Draft to ensure public safety.
The security zone will be in effect from 12 a.m. on April 23 through 11:59 p.m. on April 25, 2026.
More ➡️ https://t.co/QVpp0EOaYL pic.twitter.com/vcsqh2O8a8
— Pittsburgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) April 21, 2026
Many had jokes about the blocking of the local waterway:
they blockading the Strait of Hein-muz https://t.co/xPzyBttKMG
— Kitason Heintschel (@imrealangry) April 22, 2026
This weekend there will be a naval blockade at a chokepoint in a waterway through which some of the world’s most valuable resources will flow. https://t.co/amhlCsz4DF
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) April 22, 2026
As you can see in the video below, the traffic is already a concern ahead of night 1 of the Draft.
TikTok already filled with Pitt traffic videos. I’m dying laughing. This is why I did not come to draft. pic.twitter.com/iDV2Zh5UMq
— Mike_InIllinois (@Mike_InIllinois) April 22, 2026
If you’re in Pittsburgh this week, you may want to invest in a good pair of running shoes.
