Pittsburgh city officials announced Thursday that there will be an increased level of security at the upcoming Pittsburgh Marathon.
The increase in security comes after the deadly Boston Marathon bombings that left three dead and hundreds injured. WTAE Pittsburgh reported that city officials are taking every precaution by increasing security.
"There will be some very visible things, and many invisible security things in place that you will not see," Pittsburgh public safety director Mike Huss said. "One of the things you will see are a lot of explosive K-9s and the like."
"We're going to put more feet on the ground and more eyes in the crowds, whether they be National Guard personnel or law enforcement officers or private security," another official added.
There are already 350 uniformed officers and 200 security guards scheduled to work the event. They will be stationed throughout the city, and security cameras from local businesses will be relied upon for surveillance.
A fence will outline the perimeter of the race, and several streets will be closed off during the marathon. The number of trash cans and newspaper boxes will also be reduced along the marathon route, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Spectators are asked not to bring backpacks and will be subject to search.
Increasing the amount of security at the marathon is costly. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl insists funding will not be an issue though. "I know there's been some talk about funding and how we're going to pull this off. Let me put all those kind of concerns to bed. We're going to figure this out," he said on Thursday. "We're going to have the proper number of public safety personnel on board that day. The marathon is not going to go bankrupt this year. ... We're going to figure it out in partner, like we always have, to make this a wonderful event."
This isn't the first time Pittsburgh officials have worried about potential explosives. A microwave found on the sidewalk in the 2010 Pittsburgh Marathon prompted a bomb scare. Authorities eventually detonated the device to be safe.
Officials estimate 27,000 people will take part in the marathon.
The Pittsburgh Marathon is on Sunday, May 5 and begins at 7 a.m.
