Pittsburgh Steps.

The City of Pittsburgh maintains 712 sets of steps, some of which are shown as streets on maps. Step locations (neighborhoods) are listed in parentheses. This page is a work in progress, here are a few:

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• 57th Street: (Stanton Heights)
• 57th Street. 3rd longest set of steps in the city - 345 steps.
• Arcola Way: (Spring Garden)
• Arcola Way.
• The Arcola Way steps.
• Basin Street: (Troy Hill)
• Basin Street.
• Boehm Street: (South Oakland)
• Boehm Street steps end at Second Avenue.
• Brosville Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Brosville Street going down from Pius Street.
• Bus stop steps: (Crafton Heights Borough)
• Steps down to bus stop on Noblestown Road in Crafton Heights.
• The steps to the bus stop being cleared after a snowstorm.
• Caesar Way: (South Side Slopes)
• Caesar Way is a "paper street" (steps only). It ends at the Eleanor Street steps.
• Canton Avenue: (Beechwood)
• Canton Avenue is the steepest street in the city with a 37% grade.
• Carrie Street: (Fineview)
• Carrie Street steps have a sculpture surrounding the top landing.
• Looking down the Carrie Street steps.
• Chestnut Street: (East Allegheny)
• Chestnut Street steps go up to Vista Street.
• Colmar Street: (Upper Hill)
• Colmar Street.
• Diana Street: (Spring Hill)
• Diana Street.
• Support structure of the Diana Street steps.
• Downing Street: (Polish Hill)
• Downing Street steps down to Herron Avenue.
• Duquense University - Bluff Street to Second Avenue: (Bluff)
• Steps down start at the bridge over Boulevard of the Allies.
• Looking down the first flight to street level.
• Looking up to the bridge - note the walkout to the street.
• Looking down to Second Avenue.
• Looking up from the bottom. The steps end just outside the Armstrong Tunnel.
• Ella Street: (Bloomfield)
• The end of the Ella Street steps at Lorigan Street.
• Looking up from Lorigan Street.
• Turnout is Wertz Way steps.
• Another view of the Wertz Way turnout.
• Top of the steps at Ella Street.
• Looking down Ella Street.
• Eola Way: (South Side Slopes)
• Not a street - steps go up from Greeley Street.
• Up the Eola Way steps.
• At the top, steps turn right and end at Sterling Street.
• Finland Street: (Upper Hill)
• Finland Street crosses Bigelow Boulevard on a pedestrian bridge.
• A bus stop is at the bridge.
• Up the steps to the bridge.
• Steps start up the hill on the other side of the bridge.
• Steps up to Bismark Street.
• Street starts with a set of steps for the sidewalk.
• Looking down the hill.
• Frazier Street: (South Oakland)
• Top of steps at the west end of Frazier Street.
• Looking down from the top.
• A level walkway is joined by the Romeo Street steps. (See Romeo Street photos).
• Looking back to the top the top.
• Steps go down and end at Bates Street.
• The Bates Street end.
• Graib Street: (Fineview)
• Graib Street steps looking up from Howard Street.
• Habit Street: (Fineview)
• Steps go up from Howard Street to Compromise Street.
• The steps are blocked and out of service at both ends.
• Harding Way: (Polish Hill)
• Harding Way from Dobson Street up to Fleetwood Way.
• Harding Way becomes a set of steps from Fleetwood Way to Herron Avenue.
• Harding Way is a set of steps down to Herron Avenue from Dobson Street.
• Harding Way up to Dobson Street from Herron Avenue.
• Hemlock Street: (East Allegheny)
• Hemlock Street ends and continues as steps at James Street intersection.
• These steps go up, then down. Looking back towards James Street.
• Hemlock Street starts (or ends) at Compromise Street as a set of steps.
• Holt Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Holt Street wooden steps up from Sterling Street.
• James Street: (East Allegheny)
• Steps up from James Street to Fountain Street.
• Jason photographing the steps.
• Steps down from Fountain Street to James Street.
• Steps up from Fountain Street to Graib Street.
• Steps from Henderson Street down to Graib Street.
• Jewel Street: (Polish Hill)
• Jewel Street steps down to Flavian Street.
• Lappe Lane: (Spring Hill)
• Lappe Lane.
• Laverne Street: (Beltzhoover)
• Laverne Street steps up from West Warrington Avenue.
• Leticoe Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Leticoe Street.
• At the top, looking down.
• Lorenz Avenue: (Elliott)
• Lorenz Avenue steps down from Neidel Street to E. Steuben Street.
• Kerr Street: (Elliott)
• Kerr Street steps in the winter.
• Same, but in the summer.
• Middle Street steps. This set of steps is on the cover of the book The Steps of Pittsburgh - Portrait of a City: (East Allegheny)
• View at the top.
• At the bottom.
• Monastery Street: (South Side Slopes)
• At the top of the street, looking downhill.
• End of the steps at the top.
• Steps at the bottom.
• Montooth Street: (Beltzhoover)
• Montooth Street steps up from East Warrington Avenue.
• Oakley Way: (South Side Slopes)
• Oakley Way has a total of 289 steps. This section is looking up from Stella Way.
• Oakley Way support structure at Mission Street.
• Looking down at Mission Street.
• Above Mission Street, Oakley Way is a street with steps along the curb.
• Oporto Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Oporto Street from Pius Street.
• Oporto Street steps to to Baldauf Street.
• View of the South Side Flats from the Oporto Street steps.
• Osay Way: (Upper Hill)
• Osay Way - the street sign is 90 degrees off.
• Osgood and Marsonia Streets: (Fineview)
• Elevated sidewalk ends in steps on Osgood Street.
• Elevated sidewalk ends in steps on Marsonia Street.
• Steps from both streets meet at corner.
• Planet Street: (West End)
• Steps up from Elliott Street to Attica Street.
• Steps go up a very steep grade.
• Street sign.
• Looking up toward Attica Street.
• Looking down to Elliott Street.
• Rialto Street: (Troy Hill)
• Rialto Street is a 25% grade.
• Rising Main Avenue: (Fineview)
• Rising Main Avenue is on the left, Toboggan Street on the right.
• Rising Main is one of the longest sets of steps in the city with 331 steps.
• Step structure.
• The top of the set is at Warren Street.
• Looking down from the Warren Street end.
• A section of wooden steps go up Rising Main Avenue above Warren Street.
• Romeo Street: (South Oakland)
• The Romeo Street steps join the Frazier Street steps.
• Street signs at the intersection.
• The Romeo Street steps.
• Saint Paul Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Steps go down from Saint Paul Street to a bus stop on South 18th Street.
• Saint Thomas Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Note the different style of steps on each side of the street.
• Saint Thomas Street continues down to Pius Street as a set of steps.
• Short Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Steps go up from Magdeline Street...
• ...to Roscoe & Baldauf Streets.
• South 18th Street steps: (South Side Slopes)
• South 18th Street steps.
• Looking down from the top at Pius Street.
• Down from the bend in the middle.
• Same view, up.
• The steps in use.
• The steps in use, continued.
• Steps from Windom Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Steps go up from Windom Street to Newton Street and end at Arlington Avenue.
• This set goes down to a bridge that crosses railroad tracks near South 10th and Freyburg Streets.
• Double set of steps at Windom and Fritz Streets.
• Sterling Street: (South Side Slopes)
• Sterling Street above Wellington Street is a set of steps.
• Sterling Street looking down from Wellington Street.
• Sterling Street at Primrose Street.
• Sterling Street looking down from Holt Street.
• Sterling Street looking up from Mission Street.
• Stromberg and Sumner Streets: (South Side Slopes)
• Jason at intersection of Stromberg Street steps at the Sumner Street steps.
• Sumner Street steps at intersection.
• Steps looking down to Holt Street.
• Bottom of Sumner Street steps at Holt Street.
• Toboggan Street: (Fineview)
• Toboggan Street steps.
• A turnout on the Toboggan Street steps connects with Rising Main Avenue steps.
• Walkway (not named): (Crafton Borough)
• This walkway with steps at the other end connects Oakwood Road and Balver Street in Crafton.
• Yard Way: (South Side Slopes)
• The top of the Yard Way steps at Shamokin Street. Yard Way has 317 steps.
• Yard Way at Baldauf Street looking up.
• Yard Way at Baldauf Street looking down to Gregory Street.
• Yard Way at Gregory Street looking up.
• Yard Way at Pius Street.

The South Side Slopes Neighbood Association sponsors Step Trek, an annual event. Go on guided walking tours of steps on the Slopes. Great exercise, great views - it's a wonderful time! Here's a link for more information: Southside Slopes Neighborhood Association Click on Step Trek for more info.

• Registration Area photos.
• Trekker photos.

We highly recommend the book "The Steps of Pittsburgh - Portrait of a City" by Bob Regan, photos by Tim Fabian. It is published by The Local History Company, 112 North Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15232-2849. 412-362-2294. It has history, loads of information, many maps, walking tours and great photographs.

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