Less than two weeks before the Pittsburgh casino license is to be awarded, the city's gaming task force is standing by its near endorsement of Isle of Capri, even as a group of ministers works to prevent the Hill District slots parlor.

After a meeting yesterday, task force co-chairs Anne Swager and Ron Porter said the group has heard nothing to sway it from its October conclusion that Isle of Capri has the "strongest" of three plans for the casino.

Ms. Swager and Mr. Porter said the task force has "ongoing serious concerns" about the potential for traffic congestion at Station Square if a casino is built there.

The group also raised new concerns about a proposed Station Square parking garage to be built between the casino and the Fort Pitt Bridge, saying it would create a "wall-like" structure, as Ms. Swager put it, on the riverfront.

"We want it moved off the riverfront," she said.

The task force's biggest concerns had to do with estimates by Forest City Enterprises, the Station Square owner, and its traffic consultant that as many as 30 percent of casino visitors on weekdays and 22.5 percent on weekends would come by means other than cars.

"That's highly questionable," Mr. Porter said.

Some members of the state Gaming Control Board and its traffic consultant, McCormick Taylor, have raised similar concerns about possible congestion. Albert Federico of McCormick Taylor has said there is little that can be done to ease congestion at Carson Street and the Smithfield Street Bridge, a main access point to Station Square.

Forest City officials have insisted that the traffic concerns are overblown. They believe they can mitigate any congestion with a new pedestrian bridge over Carson Street, more turning lanes at the bridge, a traffic monitoring system, and other improvements.

Abe Naparstek, Forest City director of development, also pointed out that the developer's estimate that an average of 2.35 people will be in each car coming to the casino is in line with projections given by some of the other bidders in the state.

If that is correct, traffic would be manageable, he said.

One big exception to those projections is Isle of Capri, which is estimating that only 1.1 people will be in each car arriving at its proposed Hill casino. PITG Gaming LLC, the other Pittsburgh bidder, is projecting 2.3 people per car at its proposed North Shore casino.

For such entertainment destinations, "People don't come alone. They come with friends and family," Mr. Naparstek said.

Still, the explanations did little to ease the task force's concerns.

"If they're right, the traffic mitigation works. If they aren't, we have a serious problem," Ms. Swager said.

As for the parking garage, Mr. Naparstek said the structure would not be built on the waterfront but behind a riverfront trail and existing railroad tracks. He also said Forest City would work with the city and the Riverlife Task Force to build a garage that is "aesthetically pleasing."

While the task force has given high marks to the Isle of Capri proposal, it yesterday urged the casino operator, if awarded the license, to work with Hill residents to address concerns about a temporary casino abutting the neighborhood.

That facility would be built in a parking lot just above Mellon Arena and just below Crawford Square.

"We're looking for a solution. We don't have an alternative but we have heard the great consternation of the community and we just want to make sure that the Isle of Capri is as responsive as possible to the issues that are raised by the community," Mr. Porter said.

A group of Hill pastors will deliver a letter today to the state Gaming Control Board at its Pittsburgh office stating their opposition to the Isle's proposed casino.

Representatives from a number of Hill churches, including Bethel AME, Central Baptist, Ebenezer Baptist, Good Samaritan Baptist, Grace Presbyterian and John Wesley AME, are expected to join the contingent.

"In an area where many persons are already disenfranchised, a gambling casino is the very last thing we need," said the Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe of Grace Presbyterian.