(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership/Klavon Design Associates)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Smithfield Street, one of the most popular corridors in Downtown Pittsburgh, will be undergoing a significant transformation that is aimed at improving accessibility, safety and the overall vibrancy of the city. According to the City of Pittsburgh and the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, the goal is to reimagine Smithfield Street as a place where people want to spend time, not just pass through. New renderings show a brighter, more open streetscape designed to support drivers, local businesses and pedestrians. The first changes that are visible will take place between Forbes Avenue and Sixth Avenue. The first phase of construction for this project is expected to begin this summer and it could take nearly two years to complete. The next phase of the Smithfield Street reconstruction project includes a full rebuild of the roadway, sidewalks that are extended, landscaping that is new, signage that is improved, as well as other upgrades intended to make the area more inviting.