Trip #718 Viola Street, Perry North, Pittsburgh took place on April 9, 2022, and was published on April 20, 2022.
Wooden stairs are easier to build and considerably more affordable than their concrete and steel counterparts, but they have a much shorter lifespan and can’t withstand the bumps and knocks caused by vehicles. This flight on Viola Street was likely a wee-bit rickety before the water/sewer/road construction began, but now, it’s pretty unstable. When the work is finished and the road repaved, will the stairs be repaired, removed, or left in their damaged state? The Magic 8 Ball says, “better not tell you now,” but just in case the answer is removal, photos now show this flight’s place in the neighborhood and how it spent its final days.
Field Notes: Navigating a construction site is tough enough (thankfully I was here on the weekend when no one was working) but add a miserable drizzly rain to it and everything becomes a slick and soggy mess. Fortunately, there were some interesting shapes and arrangements that made it worthwhile.
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.
