Bonus #4 Odette Street, Overbrook, Pittsburgh took place on February 2, 2022, and was published on February 4, 2022.
While this flight is on the city’s official list, it did not exist twenty years ago when Bob Regan was out scouring the neighborhoods searching for all of Pittsburgh’s elusive public stairways. So, I consider this a BONUS flight because it does not appear in “Pittsburgh Steps: The Story of the City’s Public Stairways” (which is the foundation for this project). While the relatively pristine condition of the concrete and yellow ADA curb cuts stand out, what really grabbed my attention was the liberal distribution of ice melt. Clearing snow from sidewalks is hit or miss, and there are several reasons why it doesn’t always happen, but it’s extremely rare on city steps. Over the years, I’ve heard many times that “Back in the day, the city used to shovel snow off the stairs!” and while this may have been true in a few select locations, I’ve come to think of it as part urban myth and part misattribution. Snow angels have always lived among us, but we don’t often realize their presence. Three cheers to the resident who’s keeping those new sidewalks and steps clear!
Field Notes: While Bob Regan’s book contains a corner flight of sidewalk stairs one block away on Lodge Street (see visit 690) this flight appears to have been created in more recent times. There are no railings, which is probably a good thing as they seem to get knocked about by vehicles) but the concrete is in good shape. I was surprised to see that someone had de-iced them. I wonder if that’s a neighbor’s handiwork? I’m not sure if the DPW salt and sand trucks have this far of a reach… Either way, it’s very nice!
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling.
