Trip #276 Maurice Street, South Oakland took place on April 6, 2019, and was published on April 19, 2019.
Maurice Street isn’t one you can walk or drive on – it’s a casualty of construction and progress. But thanks to the internet, I figured out where this street and its stairs were once located. And ta-da! Here they are! This chain link fence positioned along the retaining wall on Second Avenue covers the entrance to an old railroad underpass containing two flights of stairs. Chances are, you’ve driven past or biked over it dozens of times. Other than some litter around the edges and faded graffiti, it’s nearly untouched except for the gradually growing dunes of dirt. The days of mill workers trudging up and down Maurice Street are long gone but how those men might stare if they could see how the view from the tunnel has changed!
Field Notes: Maurice Street no longer exists on current Pittsburgh street maps BUT you can see it on older versions and in tax records. The street began at the base of Robinson Street near Carlow, and the stairs went down and under the train tracks/bike trail. The end, where this photo was taken, is close to Technology Park Drive off of Second Ave. You can see all the steps by looking through the fence!
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!!
