Trip #19 Joncaire Street to Frick Art Building, Central Oakland, Pittsburgh took place on July 15, 2017, and was published on August 16, 2017.
An unceasing roar. Where on earth are these sounds coming from? There is no human activity as far as I can see, yet the noises of machinery surround me and fill the air. I imagine these mechanical sounds as natural ones. The high-pitch whir of motorcycles become swarms of honeybees, the drone of tires over cobblestones is a horse and wagon train, the loud muffler idling somewhere… What could that be? Hail pounding on a metal roof!
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I am missing my calm, my piece of peace. I sit and submerge myself into a world of bees and covered wagons and hailstorms. I stare at the yellow safety tape and begin singing that old song about tying a yellow ribbon around an old oak tree. That’s a song about the missing, isn’t it? I don’t remember all of the words now, but do you?
Field Notes: I was excited to come down into this little hollow of a neighborhood. The flight is long and a bit rickety but the NOISE from the top was unbelievable! Cars? Traffic? It wasn’t even remotely relaxing at the moment I was there.
UPDATE! (4/12/2018) Exciting news about this Oakland stairway! Check out this recent article in Pittsburgh City Paper about the brand new stairway (complete with photos) which will also feature a bike runnel so cyclists can more easily move their bikes.
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!!
