South Side Street Fest adds more metal detectors and ID scanner to speed up lines

The South Side Street Fest added additional metal detectors and ID scanners, plus a dedicated line for locals, to help people get in faster after long lines were reported for the event's first outing last weekend.  

There were no lines at 11 p.m. on Friday, the event's second night, but an organizer said Saturday, when they usually see larger crowds, will be a better test of the new measures. While attendees praised the event's first night from a safety standpoint, with no arrests and an average number of citations issued, some criticized how long it took to get in on June 20.

"It's a little overkill. I kind of had to wait 30 minutes," Justin McCord said. "The line was just startling to me."  

John DeMauro, a business owner and member of the South Side Hospitality Partnership, which is working with the city to put on the event, said leaders have heard the feedback.   

"We got more people than we thought there [would be]," DeMauro said. "There was a little bit of a wait to get into the entrances."

They've since added four ID scanners and two more metal detectors, he said.   

"We should be able to move those lines along fairly quickly this week," DeMauro said.   

The event is restricted to people 21 and up, but anyone under 21 who lives within the footprint can still get through. They'll be escorted to their homes, a police commander told KDKA-TV, adding that few kids live inside the event's footprint.   

They also have a new solution for South Side residents to enter the footprint faster: a local lane pass. Acting just like a fast pass at an amusement park, those who have it can go through a dedicated entry line.

"Wanted that to be quicker, wanted that to be not as cumbersome," he said.   

Anyone who lives in the 15203 zip code, which covers the entire South Side, can register for the pass online, he said. At the 18th Street security checkpoint on Friday, residents had to show their ID with the 15203 zip code to go through the local lane.   

Because the zip code is used, it means it's not just for people who live inside the footprint. Anyone who lives on the South Side can enter using the pass, for instance, if they want to grab something from a corner store. Fifty people had registered as of 7 p.m. on Friday.   

The line also helps to get delivery drivers through, Zone 3's police commander said.   

A bar owner within the footprint told KDKA-TV last week that during the fest's debut, they saw a lot of people on the street but fewer in bars. But because it's so early, they said they weren't concerned.

"I think that's the general consensus," DeMauro said. "It was a really good start to it, but our intention is to make it grow. I think that's the biggest thing we want people to understand."   

He added that the intention moving forward is to keep listening to feedback and making changes to improve the festival. He also encouraged people to come down to test the improved security measures themselves.