Trip #484 Banksville Avenue to Carnahan Road, Banksville, Pittsburgh took place on August 13, 2020, and was published on September 2, 2020.
The next time you walk over to a friend’s house, take a run through Schenley Park or enjoy a leisurely bike ride to The Point, take a moment to appreciate that you are able to do so. Personal mobility is something I think about every time I travel along a flight of city steps. Yes, our 739 public stairways helped move hundreds of thousands of people to work and school, shop and worship, play and socialize – but not those whose physical disabilities or health conditions made traversing stairs impossible. Today, we have special transportation services, assistive and adaptive technologies, and modified homes, cars, and even bikes to help people keep their independence and live life to its fullest. But what must it have been like a hundred years ago when these options did not yet exist? When we imagine the “good old days,” we must remember that a great many people were excluded from the picture.
Field Notes: These appear to be city steps but they also look like they could be steps leading to the public school that’s on Carnahan Road. They look relatively new-ish and are in very good condition.
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.
