Spectators attending the U.S. Open next month are strongly urged to use parking lots in the Pittsburgh Mills mall or Hartwood Acres and take a shuttle bus to the course.
Officials also released a long list of items that fans are prohibited from bring to Oakmont Country Club on June 11-17.
Regional authorities and the United States Golf Association, which is holding the golf tournament, have set up a parking system designed to reduce congestion on Oakmont's streets and the risk of terrorism during the tournament, which is televised to more than 120 countries.
The USGA expects about 45,000 spectators per day at Oakmont, compared with about 25,000 per day when the Open was last held at the course in 1994.
Officials say there will be 165 buses shuttling spectators from a special "blue lot" at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer and the "red lot" at Hartwood Acres, the Allegheny County park in Indiana Township and Hampton. There will be about 5,000 parking spaces at the Mills mall and about 7,000 spaces at Hartwood Acres.
Spectators from both lots will be dropped off at the Oakmont East Golf Course next to Oakmont Country Club.
Buses will run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fans will have to pass through metal detectors at security stations before boarding the buses.
Trips from either lot are expected to take about 22 minutes, USGA spokesman Reg Jones said.
U.S. Open parking won't be permitted along parts of Allegheny River Boulevard, Route 909 (Coxcomb Hill Road), or Hulton Road.
For safety reasons, vehicles parked in those areas will be ticketed and towed.
At least three Oakmont streets will be blocked at Hulton Road and the two approved access streets will have traffic access posts staffed by police.
Motorists also being asked to avoid using Hulton Road, which runs in front of the course, and Freeport Road on the other side of the Hulton Bridge between Harmar and Oakmont, especially during peak Open periods from 7 to 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 7 p.m.
"We put a meticulous plan in place," said Oakmont Police Chief David DiSanti Sr. "If people use the plan, they will have an enjoyable week."
Oakmont Country Club President Bill Griffin said the 103-year-old golf course will be ready and will give fantastic attention to the course and the region.
The June championship will be the eighth time that the Open has been hosted in Oakmont. No other US. course can equal that achievement, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said Thursday.
"We're just 31 days away," he said.
Tight security planned
Homeland Security and other federal agencies helped with the planning and recommended the parking and traffic restrictions.
Allegheny County police, emergency services and other departments, state police and federal agents and Oakmont and Plum borough police, fire and emergency medical staff are intimately involved the security and traffic preparations, the USGA's Reg Jones said.
There has never been a serious incident at a U.S. Open, but strange things still happen.
"We had a guy at the last Open who was stopped by security because he had a sandwich," Jones said. "We don't allow spectators to have sandwiches or other food or cell phones and they won't be allowed at Oakmont.
"The officer told the man that he'd have to throw the sandwich out," Jones said. "The man said no. He said, 'I can't do that because I have a cell phone in it.'"
Police say they will be ready.
"We have to be ready for anything," said county Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt, who is heading overall security.
"Everything is different since 9/11," agreed county Emergency Services Chief Robert A. Full.
What not to bring
Here's a look at items that spectators will not be allowed to bring to the U.S. Open: cell phones; PDAs or portable e-mail devices; bags larger than 8-inches wide and 8-inches deep; cases or covers, such as chair or umbrella covers; signs; posters or banners; televisions or radios; food or beverages; containers or coolers; lawn or folding armchairs; bicycles; ladders; metal-spiked golf shoes; noise-producing electronic devices; weapons of any kind, even for people with permits; pets other than service animals.
Cameras or camcorders will be permitted during practice rounds Monday through Wednesday for personal photography only. Both are prohibited during tournament play Thursday through Sunday.
Streets close during U.S. Open
Traffic patterns in Oakmont will change during the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in June 11-17.
These streets will close at Hulton Road: 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. There will be no access to or from Hulton Road at those locations.
Residents should avoid traveling Hulton Road, but those who need access to it should use the intersections at Eighth and 15th streets.
These traffic patterns will be in effect on residential streets:
* Ninth Street will be one-way southbound from Hulton Road to Maryland Avenue.
* 10th Street will be one-way northbound from Washington to Virginia avenues.
* Pennsylvania Avenue will be one-way eastbound from Ninth Street to 12th Street.
* Virginia Avenue will be one-way westbound from 10th Street to Ninth Street.
In addition, many streets will have no-parking restrictions along one side.
Residents will receive parking passes this month. Parking passes are not necessary for private driveways.
For extra passes, contact Tashia Oliver, USGA Field Office, 412-820-8314.
