Trip #56 Murdoch Road, Squirrel Hill South, Pittsburgh took place on October 14, 2017, and was published on November 10, 2017.
Summer’s passed, but it’s not too late to cut the grass, and I sit here with the sweet smell of green in my nostrils and the sounds of a lawnmower in my ears. There’s a man, grey-haired and tan-shorted navigating the slope of the low garage, scooping leaves from the gutter. The letter carrier comes along, all tanned legs and sunglasses, depositing mail in the box. I wonder why Murdoch Road was not connected here, and how this flight of 10 stairs on a post stamp size lot exists. Sometimes, all it takes is a little toe-hold, a little tenacity, and you have a shady space with stairs instead of streets.
Field Notes: This is a funny little flight on a tiny lot that prevents the street from running all the way through. I wonder if it is privately owned?? I can’t imagine the city not connecting the road otherwise.
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!!
