Pittsburgh officials yesterday started a push to ensure that Downtown doesn't shut down for the G-20 summit, huddling with business owners and preparing to launch a Web site and hot line to help people to get to work.

"As we've continued to say, we hope to allow folks to continue to operate businesses as normal," said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "You'll still be able to get to your office building. You just may have to get there a different way than you usually do."

Public Safety Director Michael Huss and police Chief Nate Harper met yesterday with business owners likely to be affected by the Sept. 24 and 25 gathering of world leaders.

Todd Mathias, owner of August Henry's City Saloon on Penn Avenue a block from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, said those at the meeting were told the security perimeter for the summit would go up in the hours after the Pirates game Wednesday evening and stay up until Friday evening. By then, all G-20 leaders should be out of town.

"It will be business as normal [Wednesday] up until midnight. When everyone comes back to work Thursday, that's when the change takes place," Mr. Mathias said.

Once the restrictions go up, there will be checkpoints available for people to get inside the perimeter to eat, attend a show, or for other business as long as they have proper identification, Mr. Mathias said.

Robert Trombino, owner of Trombino Piano Gallerie on Penn Avenue, said officials also are trying to arrange to have employees at businesses within the perimeter park on the North Shore and then be shuttled to and from work.

"They said they're going to try to keep it as simple as possible," Mr. Trombino said.

While people may be able to get in and out of the restricted area during the summit, no delivery trucks or other vehicles will be permitted inside during event hours, Mr. Mathias said. He added he plans to take his last delivery on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and intends to stock up with extra supplies to carry him through until the security restrictions end.

"Some people said, 'Look, I need to get fresh fish into my business. How do I do that?' " said mayoral spokeswoman Joanna Doven. The Police Bureau, she said, is working with businesses to schedule deliveries.

There is some talk that businesses may be able to pick up deliveries at certain spots along the perimeter and then walk them back to their stores or restaurants during the summit, but nothing has been finalized, Mr. Mathias said.

Despite some of the hassles, Mr. Mathias said he expects the summit to be good for his business and the city. He expects to get a lot of traffic from journalists and others who will be in town for the G-20.

"I'm very positive, upbeat. I think it should be a great two days. I think the city of Pittsburgh really should come out shining like a rose," he said. "I don't have any worries."

Mr. Trombino is a bit more apprehensive but is willing to give it a try. At this point, he also intends to stay open during the summit.

"They said they want to make it as business-friendly as possible," he said. "But, you know, with these kind of things, anything can happen."

Jeff Cohen, president of the local restaurateurs' association, attended the meeting. He said that Chief Harper and Mr. Huss assured him that city police would be able to maintain control, even in the face of promised protests. Still, he believes that some businesses within the security perimeter around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center will shut down.

"You wonder about the productivity we'll lose in the city with all these companies shutting down," he said. "[I]f nobody gets hurt, if the police officers don't get hurt and there's no damage or not much damage, I guess you can survive a couple days. ... If there's violence and people get hurt and there's damage to the business properties, it's not worth having."

Mr. Ravenstahl said the effort to prepare commuters will start Tuesday, with announcement of a traffic plan and other security measures.

"Everybody will have all of their questions answered on that day, which gives them a good week to 10 days to prepare for the G-20," the mayor said. "There will be inconveniences that will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week."

Port Authority buses, for example, will come Downtown, but may operate on modified Downtown routes, he said.

The city has launched a Web site, www.g20safety.org, and by Sept. 19 the administration hopes to have an informational telephone hot line up and running.