Trip #618 Kinley Avenue, Lincoln Place, Pittsburgh took place on July 23, 2021, and was published on August 4, 2021.
A lone railing emerges from a sea of grass. I wade into the knee-high green, distracted by thoughts of how to frame this photo, when suddenly, my foot plunges into space instead of connecting with the ground. The drop-off is more than expected, and my arms windmill as I land on something solid, knees and hips striving to regain balance. It appears I am standing on something solidly unyielding, and the sensation is unlike the soft squishiness of the dirt I had been walking over. Then, as I regain my mental equilibrium, I quickly realize what happened. I have stepped onto the stairs that lie beneath the railing.
Field Notes: There are stairs here but the entire hillside is overgrown and much of the plant life is covered in a curious red fungus (or insect eggs). You might be able to see more in the winter but I’m thinking the vine growth makes them pretty impassable.
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.
