--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 12:56:33 -0500
From: Nat Case <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: nightmare street grids
Sender: Nat Case <[log in to unmask]>



Jane Ely of Microsoft forwarded me a description of Seattle streets
by Dan Cory, also of Microsoft. I looked at a Seattle street map
here, and I think Seattle has Duluth/Superior trumped. His
description doesn't really do the mess justice. Take a close look at
a Seattle area street map and you'll see what I mean.

Note the "invisible" transitions between zones indicated by
directionals east of downtown. And I especially liked how the turned
street grid of downtown causes a gap of 14 blocks between 9th St N
and 10th St N


>Here's a description of the King county street grids. The top piece I took
>from the one map I've ever seen explain it. I have the map in my office if
>you are curious.
>
>Dan
>
>Street designations of Seattle are divided into 10 sections:
>N - S roads / E - W roads
>NW Numbered Streets / Numbered Avenues NW
>N Named Streets / Numbered Avenues N
>NE Numbered Streets / Numbered Avenues NE
>W Named Streets / Numbered Avenues W
>Named Streets / Named Avenues N
>E Named Streets / Numbered Avenues E
>Named Streets / Numbered Avenues
>E Named Streets / Numbered Avenues
>SW Named Streets / Numbered Avenues SW
>S Named Streets / Numbered Avenues S
>Each range has its own zero point, so the same house number may appear three
>times on one street, with three different directionals.
>Also, there is a range in both the NE sections with intersections like NE
>45th St and 45th Ave NE, from 43 to 60.
>In Seattle, there are 20 blocks to the mile.
>
>On the east side of lake washington, Bellevue, Redmond, parts of Kirkland,
>and unincorporated King county have a similar system, but with only 16
>blocks to the mile. The bulk of the roads are either NE or SE, with the
>dividing line at Main St in Bellevue. The north end of the system for E-W
>roads matches up with the Seattle numbering system at the north end of Lake
>Washington. The entire system numbers N-S roads using the same zero point
>that starts in of Seattle.
>
>Downtown Kirkland also has its own three separate numbered grids:
>Numbered Avenues W running NW - SE and W Numbered Streets running NE - SW
>Numbered Avenues / Numbered Streets
>Numbered Avenues S / S Numbered Streets
>
>Downtown Renton also has its own separate numbered grids:
>Named Avenues S / S Numbered Streets
>Named Avenues SW / SW Numbered Streets
>Named Avenues N / N Numbered Streets
>Named Avenues NE / NE Numbered Streets
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