Mon Wharf parking lot closes earlier than expected due to rising river levels

Pittsburgh Parking Authority advised drivers parked at Downtown Pittsburgh's Mon Wharf to move their vehicles by 3 p.m. Monday because river levels were rising faster than anticipated.

The riverfront parking lot starts to flood when the Monongahela, Ohio and Allegheny rivers around Point State Park rise above 18 feet. Forecasts initially hadn't predicted the rivers to rise that high until Tuesday, but heavier-than-anticipated rain pushed the flood stage up to Monday afternoon.

The parking authority sent an email advisory to people subscribed to receive updates on the wharf's cycle of flooding, cleanup and reopening.

The parking area will be closed Tuesday and remain off limits until further notice, the email said.

Christopher Speers, director of parking services, said the authority would pay towing fees for anyone who can't move their car in time.

“Typically, we try to fit the vehicles on our entry/exit ramp for quick access by patrons,” he wrote in an email to the Tribune-Review. “On occasion, if we fill the ramp, we will move them onto Ft. Pitt Boulevard adjacent to the entrance/exit.”

The National Weather Service was predicting the rivers to peak at 21.7 feet by Tuesday afternoon, just short of the level where the 10th Street Bypass floods. The “bathtub” section of Interstate 376, adjacent to the Mon Wharf, typically floods at 24 feet.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6660, msantoni@tribweb.com or via Twitter @msantoni.