Trip #79 Robinson Street to Burrows Street, West Oakland, Pittsburgh took place on November 5, 2017, and was published on January 8, 2018.
The graffiti pops with a BOOM! against the brown and grey in the late afternoon sun. Suddenly, everything around me appears brighter, the edges more sharply defined. Beer cans and spray paint cans litter the ledge, but despite the trash, it is quiet and calm here. Strangely meditative despite the sights and sounds competing for my attention. A young couple walks down the stairway and passes by. She’s wearing pink, he’s wearing black-n-gold, and they smile, laugh when they see I’m taking photos. “No, you don’t come across other people too often here, but it’s a quick way to get the bus.” “Yeah, too bad there’s so much trash, it was probably nicer a long time ago.”
I’m sure it was, and maybe it will be again, someday.
Field Notes: Cool spot with lots of colorful graffiti. However, the warm weather + the dampness = tons of mosquitoes! Yes, even in November…
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!!
