Steps We Take Troy Hill: Audio Walk and Installation
Bike Pittsburgh (BikePGH) and the Office of Public Art (OPA) are excited to announce the launch of a new event series to celebrate city steps and neighborhood connections.
Enjoy an audio walk of the neighborhood’s steps, featuring a temporary sound and light installation up Rialto street stairs. Using a free smartphone app, visitors will walk up and down the steps that connect the hill to surrounding areas, while listening to geolocated audio as they ascend and descend each staircase. (Don’t forget to bring headphones!)
Download the app!
Click here to download the Free Echoes App to participate in the audio walk. The audio walk will invite visitors to explore the personal stories, memories, and dreams of Troy Hill residents, while reflecting on themes of mobility, change, struggle, and resilience. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own smartphone and headphones.
During three evenings in October, visitors will encounter an installation of sound-activated light fixtures leading up the Rialto Street steps, immersing them in a musical composition and collage of residents’ voices. The audio app will launch October 10th and remain an ongoing presence in the neighborhood for self-guided walks.
The audio app will remain an ongoing presence in the neighborhood for self-guided walks. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own smartphone and headphones.
Click here to download the map!
This project is led by artists Danny Bracken and Erin Anderson, in collaboration with BikePGH, The Office of Public Art, and Troy Hill Citizens.
This program is generously supported by the Hillman Foundation. Join BikePGH and the Office of Public Art for a new event series to celebrate city steps and walkable neighborhood connections. Learn more at BikePGH.org/StepsWeTake
Getting tHERE
- Address: 1701 Rialto St. Pittsburgh, PA 15212, United States
- Bus: 4 to Rialto St at Ley St
- Bike: Take Troy Hill Road to Lowrie to Ley end at Rialto or Take Rialto St. to intersection with Ley
- Where to park: Street Parking
- Overflow parking: Washingtons Landing
about the Artist Team
ADVOCATE FOR YOUR STEPS
Pittsburgh has approximately 800 sets of steps – more public staircases than any other city in the United States. The steps are an important and under-resourced connection between communities, which thousands of residents rely on to get around. Nearly two-thirds of the steps are in low- or moderate-income areas and many are located in the City’s hilliest neighborhoods. Many of these neighborhoods also lack strong public transit resources. Here are some ways that you can get involved.
311 – REPORT A PROBLEM
Contact the City’s 311 system to report problems, fixes, and issues with the steps to the City’s 311 Response Center. The easiest methods to contact them are by:
Tweeting @PGH311
Calling 3-1-1 (Between 8am-6pm, Monday- Friday )
Outside of Pittsburgh, call 412-255-2621
Download the MyBurgh app
Visit the website: pittsburghpa.gov/311
CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL PERSON
Your council person is there to serve you, their constituents and advocate at the City on your behalf. Reach out to them with your concerns for the steps and let them know what the steps mean to you. The easiest way to contact them is to email or call their offices
Contact Information for Troy Hill:
City District 1
Councilwoman Darlene Harris
Chelsey.Berry@pittsburghpa.gov
412-255-2135
READ THE CITY’S STEP PLAN
“Repairing or replacing an on-structure staircase is a logistical, design, and construction undertaking comparable to a small bridge project. As a result, the City has taken on only a few staircase projects in the last few years. There is a need to prioritize these investments to make the most impact for people walking in Pittsburgh’s hilliest neighborhoods.” Learn more about the Steps plan: https://pittsburghpa.gov/citysteps/
GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
Join your neighborhood’s Community Group to get involved with neighborhood issues, fixing the stairs, and making sure that walking and biking concerns are heard in the community.
Troy Hill Citizens, Inc.
Website: Troyhillpittsburgh.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TroyHillCitizens/
Email: troyhillpittsburgh@gmail.com
Address: 1619 Lowrie St. Pittsburgh PA 15212
Phone: (412) 837-9049 (Google Voice #)
Community Meetings:
- 2nd Wednesdays, Bi-monthly (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec)
- 6pm 1515 Tinsbury St. Pittsburgh PA 15212 (Most Holy Name School Hall)
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