Trip #239 Lombard Street, Crawford Roberts, Pittsburgh took place on January 12, 2019, and was published on January 23, 2019.
Much like our preferences, our avoidances are very personal and it often feels more comfortable to steer clear of the people, places, and things we dislike, dread, or find disagreeable. Who doesn’t want a life that’s carefree and with minimal discomfort? We often know, in exacting detail, what we like and why we like it, but we can’t always be so explicit about what we choose to keep at arm’s length. Could it be that our knowledge is limited because we spend more time avoiding instead of embracing? By intentionally putting ourselves in the presence of the messy and unpleasant, and developing an understanding, could a 180-degree change be possible? Could a dislike be changed to a like? I don’t know if this would work for everything, but it might work for some things.
Field Notes: Looks like this flight on Lombard Street started as sidewalks steps or steps that were built into the hillside but at some point, asphalt was dumped on it. Not very pretty, but still functional (albeit rather bumpy).
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!!
