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Initiative kicks off to clean up Pittsburgh ahead of NFL Draft

Pittsburgh will host the NFL Draft in about seven months, and the city is gearing up for the big occasion.

The city is now spearheading an initiative, the "Immaculate Collection," aimed at cleaning up the area. 

"Between now and next April, the immaculate collection will mean cleaner highways, stronger neighborhoods and a legacy that lasts well beyond the draft, and you're all invited to join in," said Caily Grube, executive director of Allegheny CleanWays.

The major clean-up effort being spearheaded by the non-profit organization Allegheny CleanWays officially kicked off with a ceremonial trash toss on Wednesday.

"Let's show the world what this city looks like. Let's make sure that it's clean and ready. Let's show the beauty of diversity in this city," Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said. 

Several local groups have some big plans to get the city ready before hundreds of thousands of people come to town in April 2026. The initiative includes:

  • Deep cleaning 100 miles of highway in and out of Downtown, and about 50 different city neighborhoods.
  • Tidying up the Three Rivers.
  • Planting trees and adding more hanging flower baskets.
  • The city's Garbage Olympics. 
  • Getting local colleges and high schools involved to help with picking up litter.
  • Starting a "trash toss challenge" on social media to spread the word.

"We're making sure as the world's eyes are on Pittsburgh, what they see is a city that is clean and beautiful and really ready to shine," Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said. "It's not just about the draft. It's about coming together as civic, corporate and community leaders to show pride in our neighborhoods, our rivers, and the collective place that we call home."

She said it's not just about making the city look nice, but the whole county, too. The hope is to keep the city clean after the draft as well.

"This is about setting a standard that goes beyond 2026 to make our neighborhoods beautiful because, as I like to say, 'Yinzers deserve nice things too.' It's not just about having our guests here, it's about making sure we're looking out for ourselves and our neighbors," Innamorato said.

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