Moreover, most of Chicago’s streets are numbered by how far north, south, east, or west they sit. Streets that run north and south are numbered with east or west addresses (e.g. Ashland is 1600 West). Streets that run east and west are numbered with north or south addresses (e.g. Division is 1200 North).
How does Chicago street numbers work?
The Chicago street numbering increases or decreases depending on their distance in miles from the State and Madison axis lines. In Chicago, odd street numbers are on the south and east sides of streets, and even street numbers are on the north and west sides.
Is Chicago built on a grid?
By virtue of its grid system, Chicago frequently has two versions of each address, one on each side of either Madison (for north-south streets) or State (for east-west streets).
How do addresses in Chicago work?
Chicago address numbering begins downtown at State Street and Madison Street, State Street is 0 east and west, and Madison Street is 0 north and south. The major streets a mile apart have address numbers which are multiples of 800. On Chicago’s south side, the east-west streets are numbered.
How does the Chicago grid system work?
Chicago is oriented along the cardinal directions. That is, most streets run north/south or east/west. Contrast this with Manhattan, for example, which has a grid system that is angled 29 degrees. Moreover, most of Chicago’s streets are numbered by how far north, south, east, or west they sit.
Where is 1st street in Chicago?
1st Avenue, also known as Cumberland Avenue and Thatcher Avenue for parts of its northern segment, is a north-south street in Chicago and its western suburbs. It marks 8400 West in the Chicago address system, being located ten and one-half miles west of State Street.
Is Chicago easy to navigate?
Chicago is a large city but easy to navigate by walking, taxi, and public transportation. Plan to explore Chicago by neighborhood to cut down on transportation time and make the most of car or bike rental days.
Why are Chicago streets so wide?
These roads were to be wide enough for vehicles to pass each other, but they would never need to be repaved. The reason these streets are diagonal is because it makes it easier to navigate when you’re not sure which direction the center of town is.
Why does Chicago have multi-level streets?
But even locals often do not know exactly why this part of underground Chicago exists. Our multi-layered city has lower levels of streets in some parts of the Loop and River North because it allows easy access for freight transport and trash disposal.
What is the longest street in Chicago?
Western Avenue
Western Avenue is famous as Chicago’s longest street. It runs 24 miles between Howard Street, Chicago’s northern boundary and the southern city limits at 119th Street. Western continues south of the city, with a few gaps, another 26 miles to the Will/Kankakee County line where it ends at a corn field.
What city has the best grid?
Out of 100 major world cities, Chicago “exhibits the closest approximation of a single perfect grid.” It’s not quite the City of Light, but it befits our city.
How do you read street numbers?
If the street number has more than four digits, say it as digit – digit – digit – digit – digit (etc.)
street numbers.
- If the street number has one or two digits,
- If the street number has three digits, there.
- If the street number has four digits, there are.
Why does Chicago have upper and lower streets?
The raising of Chicago streets out of the mud began in 1858 when streets and buildings were raised between four and seven feet above their former elevation, just a few feet above the constantly muddy lake level. The higher elevation allowed for sewers and proper drainage.
Is there a main street in Chicago?
Michigan Avenue is a major thoroughfare that runs north-south through downtown Chicago. Along North Michigan Avenue – between Oak Street and the Chicago River – lies the Magnificent Mile. This 13-block stretch is home to more than 450 retailers and is one of the world’s most iconic shopping districts.
How far is a city block in Chicago?
In Chicago, a typical city block is 330 by 660 feet (100 m × 200 m), meaning that 16 east-west blocks or 8 north-south blocks measure one mile, which has been adopted by other US cities.
Why is Chicago a grid?
Chicago grew by annexing suburbs, so many street names were repeated. House numbers started at the lake or the river, so addresses didn’t match block to block. Now we all know the drill: State and Madison is the zero point of the east-west and north-south axes of a logical Cartesian grid.
What street divides Chicago north and south?
Madison
Per a 1908 decision by Chicago’s city council, Madison serves as the north–south dividing line for Chicago’s street numbering system, while State Street serves as the east–west line.
Who named Chicago streets?
List of Chicago placename etymologies
| Place Name | Source |
|---|---|
| Adams Street | John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States |
| Addison Street | Thomas Addison, English doctor, discoverer of Addison’s disease |
| Altgeld Gardens | John Peter Altgeld (1847-1902), Governor of Illinois from 1893-1897. |
How many streets are in Chicago?
More than 2,800 streets make up Chicago’s famous grid, and city planners and developers drew the streets’ names from all sorts of people and places – including some of our own politicians.
How many blocks are in Chicago?
The city’s mapping system identifies about 20,800 unique blocks in the city, Strazzabosco said. “These are blocks surrounded typically by four streets in a rectangular pattern, but also possibly having different shapes and sizes depending on the development pattern of a given area,” Strazzabosco said.
How do tourists get around Chicago?
The best way to get around Chicago is via public transportation – specifically the L train. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, the L (short for “elevated train”) is cheap and easy to use.
Taxi
- Yellow Cab Chicago.
- Flash Cab.
- Checker Taxi Chicago.
- City Service Taxi.
- Uber.
- Lyft.