Trip #260 South 30th Street, Southside Slopes, Pittsburgh took place on March 2, 2019, and was published on March 11, 2019.
Discovering a set of cantilevered stairs never ceases to thrill me. In my eyes, they’re simply striking, demonstrably distinct, and brutally beautiful. Their “in your face” architectural persona makes me smile: a street-tough hustler with sparkling eyes and a heart of gold. Letting them carry you from place to place can give you a case of the wiggles (don’t look down between the treads!) but standing in front of one, in all its concrete majesty is a real treat. They are a public infrastructure work of art.
Field Notes: This is an older, cantilevered flight off of South 30th Street that is starting to show signs of erosion underneath a section about a third of the way up. It’s quite beautiful even it’s not as large as other “hanging” flights in Spring Garden and Troy Hill.
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!!
