Trip #473 Paranassus Way to Marlow Street, Elliott, Pittsburgh took place on July 24, 2020, and was published on August 7, 2020.
I love my home and where I live very much. Still, I’m the kind of human who can effortlessly develop an infatuation with other houses, streets, and neighborhoods and imagine what life would be like if I lived there. This swooning and mooning occurs in new locales as well as those I’ve visited dozens of times. When a connection is established and curiosity piqued, my natural inclination is to absorb as much as possible as quickly as possible – afraid that if I tarry, that spark of excitement will disappear. I have to make a conscious effort to slow down and investigate the area thoroughly, knowing that if I do so, I’ll end up experiencing even more than what I initially thought possible. Following this strategy never disappoints. When people ask me what my favorite part of Pittsburgh is, I tell them it’s impossible to pick. After three years, nearly 500 city steps, thousands of city streets, and 54 neighborhoods, I’d have to say they’re all my favorites. It’s easy to love them all. And I don’t expect that to change any time soon.
Field Notes: This block-long sidewalk flight is a great example of how materials to fix city property has changed over the decades. There are sections of brick, asphalt, concrete… it’s a real hodge-podge! Very interesting from start to finish.
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
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.
