Ramping up the South Side Slopes

Controversial Renovations Transform South Side City Steps into Steep Ramps

The City of Pittsburgh is responsible for maintaining 44,645 public steps, the most out of any other city in the United States. If you were to stack them all on top of each other, their total vertical height would be 24,000 feet, or 4,000 feet higher than the tallest mountain peak in North America, Mt. McKinley.

If you have ever scaled your way up Pittsburgh's South Side Slopes, you know that out of the city's many outdoor stairways, the steps found in this neighborhood can be particularly treacherous. This is why the Public Works Department recently began renovations to redesign the South Side Slopes' steps, starting with the 60-year-old steps of Monastery Street.

The renovations, set to be completed in the next six months, reportedly include transforming the crumbling steps into about a dozen ramps; however, this may not be the safest possible design for the prominent staircase. Many residents worry that the new ramps could prove too steep and slippery to climb when the ground is icy or wet.

The city will save $200,000 by redesigning the steps on Monastery Street rather than replacing them. But is saving money worth the risk of residents potentially falling and injuring themselves if the new ramps morph into hazardous ice luges during the winter?

Responsibility for keeping city-owned steps safe falls to the City of Pittsburgh. If dangerous steps are part of privately owned property, the responsibility to maintain hazard-free stairs would fall to the owner of that property.

Were You Injured on Someone Else's Property?

If you or a loved one slipped and fell or injured yourself on someone else's property, another company or person may have neglected to keep their property safe, and you could have a premises liability case. The issue of premises liability can seem a bit confusing, and you may have asked yourself questions like, "what if I am injured on someone else's rickety deck?" Or, "is my landlord responsible for the dangerously uneven walkway outside of my apartment building?" Don't continue to worry, let our law firm answer your questions and help you understand your legal rights. At Edgar Snyder & Associates we've handled hundreds of premises liability cases.

It all starts with a no obligation, free legal consultation. You tell us about your injuries, and we'll tell you if we think you have a case. It's as simple as that. Call us today at 412-668-5335 or get a free legal consultation by filling out the form at the top right of this webpage. Our phones answer 24/7.

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