Wall construction activities will begin after July 21th, 2025 with construction to continue through spring 2026. Pedestrian access along Serpentine Drive will be maintained during construction with some short-term roadway closures.

Since a portion of the Serpentine Drive retaining wall collapsed in 2019, this road through Schenley Park in Squirrel Hill South (Council District 5) has been open with iterim measures that included limited access to vehicles. This project will restore the historic wall and proposes permanent restrictions to motor vehicle access.

Changes to Traffic:

Upon reopening, DOMI is proposing Serpentine Drive be updated for bike and pedestrian access only, restricting all motor vehicle access at both ends: Barlett St and E Circuit Road. Updated pavement markings and signage will separate bikes and pedestrians on the corridor.

A 60-day comment period for this change to operations ended Thursday, February 29th, 2024.

Wall Restoration:

In summer 2019, an 80-foot section of the wall failed. It has been noted that roughly 200 feet of additional wall is visibly unstable with loose, missing, and deteriorated stones with large holes through the wall at the roadway gutter line.

The restoration includes replacement and repair of approximately 265 feet of the existing masonry wall, along with drainage improvements along the gutterline of Serpentine Drive. During the preliminary design phase, soil testing was completed and four wall replacement alternatives were investigated to identify the most versatile and economical material.

The proposed alternative will include an architectural treatment to the exposed surfaces to replicate and match the existing stone masonry, helping to preserve and retain the current aesthetics of the existing wall. This will also include incorporating the existing wall cap stones on top of the new barrier and existing salvaged stone facing to the roadway side of the new barrier to provide a seamless transition from the remaining portion of the existing wall to the proposed replacement wall.