Trip #161 Flemington Street, Greenfield, Pittsburgh took place on July 9, 2018, and was published on July 18, 2018.
I remember learning about bridges in middle school science; how they are constructed, but more interestingly, how they fail. The failures are often dramatic (Tacoma Narrows) and catastrophic (Hyatt Walkway) and illustrate how strength can suddenly weaken and fall to pieces. Being strong is more than how much weight you can hold. Being strong means compensating for where the natural weaknesses lie, knowing how to balance loads, and having the flexibility to withstand sustained or significant blows. When strength is rigid and narrowly defined, shattering apart is inevitable.
Field Notes: This flight is right up the street from #162 – it’s a steep grade, so sidewalk stairs are a good thing!
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
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. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
