Trip #245 Spring Street to Arlington Avenue, Arlington, Pittsburgh took place on January 19, 2019, and was published on February 6, 2019.
A storm is coming, and the streets are empty, no cars or people passing by. It’s strangely silent until a great flock of birds lifts en mass from the rooftop above me. Hundreds of wings beating against the air. I follow their trajectory up and over the crest of the hill and feeling a bit unnerved, I decide to take my leave. As I get to the car I hear someone coughing. The sound bounces off the peaks and valleys of these hilly streets and obscures the person’s location. I keep hearing the cough, and I keep casting my eyes about, but unlike the flock of birds, the person is out of sight. I get into the car and turn the heat on. The white noise of the blower is steady and without any surprise punctuation.
Field Notes: In between Spring Street and Arlington Avenue, the streets are so narrow and steep here – both driving and walking is a challenge! Hate to see what it’s like when it’s covered in snow.
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!!
