The Department of City Planning is in the process of conducting its first ever comprehensive data collection on the city’s 700+ public steps. The collected data will be used to assess conditions and prioritize the steps for maintenance and repairs. Surveying the 700+ steps in 66 of the city’s 90 neighborhoods will be an extensive process. To expedite this process, the Department of City Planning seeks volunteers from local neighborhoods to survey the condition of the steps and to provide city officials with valuable insight into the usage and condition of their local steps. Volunteers will work in teams of 3, each an assigned task to ensure consistency of data. Training and an instructional field guide will be provided to all volunteers.

Volunteer duties

— Dedicate a few hours on the date of the survey (TBA)

— Walk up and down several sets of steps

— Survey the state of the treads, rails, and structural supports

— Electronically record data using an Ipad

— Take photographs of the steps

— Inform the City Official of the usage and utility of the local steps

Interested in helping? Fill out the Volunteer Form. See the Step Survey Flier and Field Guide for more information, or email Catherine.crevecoeur@pittsburghpa.gov.

This page also features a map with all the City steps.

(Photo of the Downing – Herron steps, from this site)