Watt St Journal Article - PGH Stairs

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

Indian Trail Steps from Carson to Duquesne Heights c. early 1900's:



Indian Trail Steps

Whoo! That looks like a soil erosion nightmare!

[doo dah]

I am positive that I read earlier this year about a project to build a trail/steps along the face of Mt Washington, but can't remember any details. The closest I could find was about Emerald View, but that wasn't it. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Moby Hick

You're right. That isn't a very complete list. Here's another partial list, but it does cover Polish Hill pretty well.

Pittsburgh Steps

Maybe you have to buy the book mentioned in the article in the OP. But that's 10 years out of date now.

No Homewood or East Hills steps included.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by BobMcKelvin

although $100,000 seems like a mighty steep price for some cement and some railings) and do patchwork repairs as the need arises

If you've ever had a concrete company give you a quote you wouldn't think so. It's crazy how expensive that stuff is! It's no wonder sidewalks all over the city are so busted up; nobody has a few grand sitting around to spend on something boring like sidewalks.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Thanks for posting the cool photo of the Indian Trail steps!
I had never seen them. Only heard my grandmother tell stories about
traversing them down to West Carson Street (an area they then called "Limerick").

A lot of Pittsburgh steps are actually shown on maps as being streets.
In fact most of them have named city street signs on them. A bit of a surprise
if you're an out-of-towner in a rental car.

[BobMcKelvin]

Originally Posted by ferraris

If you've ever had a concrete company give you a quote you wouldn't think so. It's crazy how expensive that stuff is! It's no wonder sidewalks all over the city are so busted up; nobody has a few grand sitting around to spend on something boring like sidewalks.

You're right I had no idea it was that expensive. In that case, wouldn't wood be a better option? I've come across several sets of wooden staircases while exploring on foot and they seem to hold up just fine and should be much cheaper/faster to repair.

One example: http://goo.gl/maps/gaI8N

(edit: one more showing some recent rail replacements) http://goo.gl/maps/nkLb1

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

Thanks for posting the cool photo of the Indian Trail steps!
I had never seen them. Only heard my grandmother tell stories about
traversing them down to West Carson Street (an area they then called "Limerick").

A lot of Pittsburgh steps are actually shown on maps as being streets.
In fact most of them have named city street signs on them. A bit of a surprise
if you're an out-of-towner in a rental car.

Or a visiting nurse new to the area. I remember when I was a very young VN, working the South Side Slopes before they were called that. I'd be looking for an address (no GPS then either) and all of a sudden the roadway would come to an end and there'd be some steps. I just parked the car, took out my nursing bag and walked to the house!

[FoodPoet]

save the steps!!!

[Buckeye Burgher]

Another urban legend concerning the Indian Trail Steps was that they were haunted.
Supposedly the story was that people walking the steps at night reported seeing a ghost.
Word spread through the neighborhood and many people stopped using the steps as a result.

The legend goes on to say that the company which operated the Duquesne Incline had
actually paid someone to dress as a ghost and "haunt" the steps so that people would begin
paying the incline fare and not taking the free walk to Carson Street.

[BobMcKelvin]

Allegheny County steps up with $100K to improve Slopes staircases | TribLIVE

A little love for the steps, not sure how much $100,000 will actually accomplish but it's better than nothing