Trip #77 Allequippa Street, West Oakland, Pittsburgh took place on November 2, 2017, and was published on January 3, 2018.
House #18 is closed up tight, and everything about the place says this is a “dead end.” The city’s public stairways list even indicates it’s a dead end. But it’s not. You come to a place where you think you’ve reached the end, but, if you’re looking and paying attention, you’ll see the concrete through the dead leaves. Something’s there. Keep going, keep moving through, keep pushing the branches aside. Talk to the birds, talk to the critters, talk to whatever lies beyond the overgrowth to let them know you’re coming through. They’re certainly watching and wondering what you’re up to, by the looks of things it’s been a long time since a human has passed through these parts. Suddenly, the stairs reappear, and they go all the way up to Bentley Drive. Someone might have thought this place was a dead end, but it’s not, and it won’t be for much longer.
Field Notes: In the Appendix of Bob Regan’s book “Pittsburgh Steps: The Story of the City’s Public Stairways” it says this flight is a dead end, but it isn’t! It really does go all the way up to Bently Drive as it shows on Google Maps. It’s kind of messy (and with some fallen trees) but it’s worth exploring.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
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. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
