The Newtown Pentacle

Friday

– photo by Mitch Waxman

So… that’s where I was heading… Dawn Avenue’s intersection with Route 19 / West Liberty Avenue at the Liberty Tunnel interchange.

This has to be one of the least pedestrian friendly spots in Pittsburgh. Traffic is literally coming at you from every direction of the compass. It’s the ‘last stop’ for commuters towards the downtown section of Pittsburgh, and high speed road connections to points north and east of the city itself, from the South Hills.

Drivers get quite salty when they get caught at red lights in this zone.

One found an intersection with a painted crosswalk, and hit the little arrow button on the signal pole. Soon, the device was telling me it was safe to cross and one burst across the intersection as fast as his fat little feet could carry him.

It’s been more than a year now, and I basically still cannot run due to the orthopedic incident. Working on it.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Traffic insanity is everywhere. Pittsburgh drivers will maliciously slow down to make you catch a light. Pittsburgh drivers will intentionally keep you away from highway exits by lurking in your blind spot, and commonly tailgate other vehicles – at speed – on the highways. They’ll ‘fake’ a left turn and then go right… they suck.

Why? Lulz. The Yinzers think it’s funny.

After wiggling my butt across the intersection, I realized that the lighting had changed again and things had gotten quite photogenic all of a sudden.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Up that flight of steps, that’s where I’d need to get in order to go back to HQ.

I enjoyed a quick chat with a fellow named Brian who owns that auto shop whose signage is seen in the bottom left of the shot above. He gave me some time of day ‘intel’ on when Wheeling & Lake Erie RR commonly transits through this area, and he then informed that me he’s retiring and that the business is up for sale ‘if I know anyone interested.’

After a quick hand shake and my admonition that I wasn’t interested in purchasing an auto repair and used car sales business, I was off on my way. Hope he finds a reliable buyer. Nice guy.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Looking back at West Liberty Avenue from Dawn Avenue’s paver covered roadway. Pavers (cobblestones colloquially, or more accurately ‘Belgian Blocks) are used on roads all over Pittsburgh, and particularly so on these steep streets. They suck to drive on, as your car is bouncing all over the place, but the pavers do enhance the ‘grip’ of your tires and allow for a bit more control in terms of speed and braking on a slope.

This was a fairly barren spot, by the way. Didn’t see any evidence of homeless encampments, or any sort of morbid habitations, here.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Those are the steps leading up to the Southern Busway, which is partially ‘tracked’ to serve the T light rail. Nearby is the yard used by a towing company which seems to enjoy a municipal contract. If you parked illegally, and they scooped up your auto, odds are that you’re coming out here to get it back.

Reminds me of the old days in NYC when the NYPD used an area under the Kosciuszcko Bridge, in Queens, as a tow yard. At least in Pittsburgh, the tow yard is sited somewhat near mass transit. NYPD used to tow cars out to a remote spot which you needed a car to get to, which I always thought of as being a kind of perverse joke.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

People live up here, and there’s a small neighborhood present in these foothills. This is, as I often call such places, a ‘pregnant location.’ Lots of photo opportunities. I’ll be coming back, and specifically so in pursuit of some rail shots from this spot.

Back next week with more – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.

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“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.