Trip #621 Saw Mill Run Blvd to Busway, Overbrook, Pittsburgh took place on July 29, 2021, and was published on August 11, 2021.
What’s good for one person can be bad for another. For me, the city steps are more than good; they’re great, they’re an adventure, something exciting to find and investigate and clamor all over. But for others, they’re a barrier, a painful challenge, another hurdle to go up or down. I think about how NOT great public stairways are for anyone with physical mobility limitations, those with aching knees, hips, feet, or reduced breathing capacity, and those traveling with small children. In all these instances, being forced to navigate stairs to access public transportation makes life unnecessarily complicated. So, I’m not disappointed the city steps that once connected pedestrians to the busway are gone. In fact, I’m glad. If their removal makes the journey a bit easier for someone, it’s the best for everyone.
Field Notes: Back in the Bob Regan days, I guess there was a flight of city steps that went from this walkway to the busway (or trolley-line). However, the Busway has undergone upgrades since the late 90s so it appears the stairs were removed. There was some graffiti on the ground that looks like the word OMEGA (although it’s probably something else!) kind of fitting for this tale of beginnings and endings.
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.
