About this Location

Facility Overview

The Soldiers & Sailors Parking Garage is a premier underground parking facility strategically situated in the vibrant heart of the Oakland neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Located directly beneath the sprawling front lawn of the historic Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum at 4390 Bigelow Boulevard, this expansive multi-level subterranean garage serves as one of the primary parking hubs for the University of Pittsburgh campus, medical centers, and cultural landmarks. The facility features standard lane widths and clearly demarcated bays tailored primarily for passenger sedans, compact vehicles, crossovers, and standard-sized SUVs. However, drivers of oversized pickup trucks, commercial transit vans, and vehicles equipped with roof racks or cargo carriers should note the garage\'s vertical clearance limit of approximately 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters). For higher-clearance vehicles, nearby open-air surface lots across the Pitt campus are recommended.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Positioned along Bigelow Boulevard, the garage puts visitors steps away from some of Pittsburgh\'s most celebrated academic, cultural, and medical destinations:

University of Pittsburgh Landmarks: The towering Cathedral of Learning, William Pitt Union, Heinz Memorial Chapel, and Alumni Hall are all located within an easy 2 to 5-minute walk (under 0.3 miles).
Cultural & Educational Institutions: The Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, Carnegie Music Hall, and the main branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh are reachable within a 7 to 10-minute stroll.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum: Located directly above the garage, providing effortless elevator access for military museum visitors and banquet attendees.
Healthcare Facilities: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, UPMC Montefiore, and Western Psychiatric Hospital are located within a 5 to 10-minute uphill walk or brief university shuttle trip.
Dining & Retail: Vibrant student dining corridors along Forbes Avenue and Fifth Avenue are just one to two blocks away, offering dozens of casual eateries, coffee houses, and convenience shops.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Ingress and egress are situated along Bigelow Boulevard between Fifth Avenue and Forbes Avenue, offering streamlined navigation into the underground portal. After major university commencements or events at Soldiers & Sailors, exiting traffic is directed smoothly toward primary Oakland arteries, though minor delays can occur during typical weekday rush hours (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM). Oakland is exceptionally well-served by public transit; multiple Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) bus routes—including the high-frequency 61 and 71 series traversing Fifth and Forbes Avenues—stop within steps of the garage, offering direct bus rapid service to Downtown Pittsburgh, Shadyside, and East Liberty. Drivers traveling from out of town enjoy straightforward connections via the Boulevard of the Allies, I-376 (Parkway East), and Route 28.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Fully covered subterranean parking providing year-round protection from winter snow, ice, and summer heat.
Well-illuminated interior driving decks and pedestrian walkways equipped with CCTV security monitoring.
Accessible parking spaces located conveniently adjacent to elevator banks and stairwells.
Automated pay-on-foot stations and drive-up ticket machines accepting major credit cards and debit cards.
Dual pedestrian portal access points connecting directly onto Bigelow Boulevard and the memorial grounds.

Ideal For

Prospective students, families, and visiting academics attending lectures, tours, or events at the University of Pittsburgh.
Patrons attending weddings, galas, veteran ceremonies, and conventions at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.
Visitors heading to medical consultations or patient visits at nearby Oakland UPMC medical facilities.
Museumgoers spending the day exploring the Carnegie Museums and Oakland cultural district.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Keep your entry ticket with you when leaving your vehicle, as automated pay stations are positioned in the pedestrian vestibules, allowing you to pay before returning to your car for faster exiting. If you are visiting during Pitt\'s fall move-in week, homecoming, graduation weekend, or major museum galas, spaces can fill up rapidly; aim to arrive before 9:00 AM on weekdays or pre-plan alternative lots such as the Posvar Hall Garage or Wesley W. Posvar surface lots. Always double-check your vehicle height clearance before entering the ramp, particularly if you have rooftop bikes, ski boxes, or aftermarket antenna whips installed.