Trip #578 Weber Way, Arlington, Pittsburgh took place on April 16, 2021, and was published on April 23, 2021.
Over the past three years, I’ve gradually recreated Bob Regan’s quest to locate Pittsburgh’s city steps. It’s an incredible journey, and with each new visit, I try to view the area as it might have looked to him over twenty years ago. I’ve noticed that much has stayed constant in some locations, while dramatic shifts have occurred in others. But every once in a while, I come to a spot where no city steps remain. And this is true at the corner of Weber and Waite in Arlington. There are no indications of a wooden sidewalk platform. In some ways, the loss isn’t terribly surprising. Unlike their steel and concrete siblings, wooden stairs are delicate and easily weakened by weather and vehicles. The sidewalk steps may be gone, but a wizened old lilac bush squats solidly at the corner. In all likelihood, it observed Bob as he collected his data, jotted it down in a notebook, and pedaled off on this bike. For all I know, it also could have witnessed DPW installing the wooden sidewalk years before. One can only imagine – and I certainly do.
Field Notes: According to Bob Regan’s notes, there had been a wooden sidewalk that went around the corner. However, it appears the street was repaved in recent years, so it’s not surprising that it’s no longer there. However, there is a pretty lilac that still remains!
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
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.
