Trip #723 Soffel Street, Mount Washington, Pittsburgh, took place on April 10, 2022, and was published on May 4, 2022.
We all need boundaries, and they’re essential to keeping us healthy, balanced, and able to care for ourselves and others. But sometimes, it seems as if our culture has a complicated relationship with this vital mechanism for structure. We want boundaries when they benefit us but deplore them when they interfere with our individual definition of freedom. But it’s the ability to maintain a fundamental equilibrium between the grassy, open slope and the secure fence that helps us stay in-tuned with both our personal and collective needs. Both are necessary, and the path between the two only helps us to better see each side’s value.
Field Notes: Another example of a set of steps that’s like a walkway connecting two parallel streets. This is the main section, and BONUS #7 follows it. Based on the appearance of the concrete and railings, it looks to be recently refurbished. The steps were pretty clean which was why this bit of broken pottery caught my eye!
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.
