Trip #497 Edith Street to Augusta Street, Duquesne Heights, Pittsburgh took place on September 13, 2020, and was published on October 5, 2020.
On my weekly travels to city stairs, I’m often the only person walking around the neighborhood. Occasionally, I’ll pass a runner or someone with a dog, but it’s rare to spot another pedestrian, and that’s a shame because there’s so much going on that people need to see. It might be fanciful thinking, but I hold on to the idea that if more elected leaders walked around, we might just solve many of our communities’ issues.
.
One of my favorite stories about the benefits of the “slow view” comes from my home state of Rhode Island and its longest-serving US Senator, Claiborne Pell. Despite serving 36 years in our nation’s capital, other politicians often referred to him as the “least electable man” due to his frugalness and idiosyncracies – one of which was taking long, wandering walks throughout the state he represented. He walked rural lanes, suburban roads old and new, grand ocean-front boulevards, and the crumbling, post-industrial city streets. When asked about his “odd” habit of walking and talking with people he met, he’d say it was the most authentic way to know a community’s wants and needs. And that very quality is what made him the “most electable man” and is something so sorely missing in many of our leaders today.
Field Notes: This section of the flight of sidewalk steps between Edith and Augusta is getting a face-lift! Curious to see if the steps go all the way to the top or if it’s just a few steps near the bottom and then a flat sidewalk the rest of the way.
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.
