Trip #190 Pius Street to Roscoe Street, Southside Slopes, Pittsburgh took place on September 13, 2018, and was published on September 24, 2018.
Water’s flowing underground. I can hear it. It’s beneath my feet, below the stairway, but I can’t see it. Not even a trickling bit. I stretch out on the stairs, luxuriating in the sounds of this mysteriously hidden waterfall, and if it weren’t for the dang mosquitoes, I’d be inclined to stay here for a while. I little shiver runs up my spine, and it brings a touch of euphoria. I feel like something marvelous is about to happen, that something marvelous is happening right now even if I don’t know what it is. Something is happening and I’m just going to trust that one day I’ll see what it is. This is once in a lifetime, water flowing underground.
Field Notes: There is a sign on Pius Street that calls both #189 and #190 Yard Way. It’s a looooong flight, so it feels good to break it up. The 1990 date seems a little doubtful – maybe it was repaired then?
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!!
