Trip #88 54th Street, Upper Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh took place on December 4, 2017, and was published on January 29, 2018.
The hillside’s precipitous decline is softened by the shapes of the branches, vines, and knotweed bending and bowing, gradually releasing themselves back to the earth. The afternoon is speeding past the mid-point, and looking above the horizon, the white cloud sky darkens to steel grey. These colors are similar to those on the little furry dog in the yard directly behind me. A little furry dog who is clearly annoyed that my human presence is ruining their canine enjoyment of an otherwise tranquil day. There is yipping. Yapping. Guttural grunts and high-pitched snorting snarls. Sounds that communicate displeasure in a way that only a little furry dog can. While I may not be able to luxuriate in the quietude of this landscape, I manage a chuckle at the dog’s strenuous efforts as I step down and away, hopefully restoring the peace.
Field Notes: The 54th Street flight is in good shape and the view is KILLER! Seriously, so lovely – you can see all the way across the Allegheny River to some neighborhood uphill from Millvale.
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!!
