Advertisement City hopes to make tackling Pittsburgh steps easier for cyclists Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Aging Pittsburgh steps -- they're hidden passageways around the city, connecting dozens of neighborhoods, and they've never been easy to get a bike up or down until now.Runnels, or bike rails, run along the steps so cyclists can push their bikes next to them instead of bouncing them off each step.VIDEO: Watch Shannon Perrine's report"It's not that heavy to push the bike up. A lot of people, some have to take their wheels off, carry their wheels, carry the bike even up these steps," said Councilman Corey O'Connor.The Alexis Street steps in Greenfield are the only steps in the city that currently have a runnel. Bike Pittsburgh, a nonprofit cycling advocacy group, made it happen. As city government finds money to pay for the much-needed rehab of city steps, more runnels are expected arrive.MORE: Interactive map of all Pittsburgh step locations"We are going to get to them as quick as we can, especially in our parks system, where we know a lot of people bike and walk to get to different parts of the park. Those are a top priority, but, there are a number of steps connecting neighborhoods that we have to do," O'Connor said.Adding runnels to the city steps one staircase at a time means that more people can see the best parts of the city faster."It gets them using it more, it gets them using the trail more," O'Connor said. "The Greenfield area, especially now with the Greenfield Bridge being down, this is a great way to get bikers traveling through the run, in through Schenley Park and then up through Oakland."Get the WTAE Pittsburgh's Action News 4 App