Trip #509 Merrimac Street to Bertha Street, Mount Washington, Pittsburgh took place on October 15, 2020, and was published on November 2, 2020.
The letter carrier walks from house to house, occasionally returning to the postal service vehicle to extract more bundles of mail. The street is long and steep, and I watch him move from one end of the block to the other, from house to house, so organized and ordered. It’s a route he likely follows every day he works, with these delivery trajectories established many years or even decades ago. His presence on this otherwise quiet street reminds me of how necessary activity is. Even when the tasks feel mundane or perfunctory, sticking to our routine provides us with a sense of order and hope. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by the news or social media; stay committed to living Monday to its fullest. Like the letter carrier, focus on your work and deliver as expected. Let neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keep us from what we need to do today.
Field Notes: Some of the streets in Mount Washington get very steep very quickly! It’s a challenge to walk up them (even with the city steps) but I hate to think what it’s like to drive on them when it’s snowing or icy out!
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.
