Splendor of streets in your home town! (Part - 2)

Let us look at the specialties of some more streets in different parts of the world.

World's Steepest Street ( Baldwin Street – New Zealand )



Baldwin Street, in a quiet suburban part of New Zealand's southern city of Dunedin, is reputed to be the world's steepest street. It is located in the suburb of North East Valley , 3.5 kilometres northeast of Dunedin 's city centre. A short straight street of some 350 metres length, Baldwin Street runs east from the valley of the Lindsay Creek up the side of Signal Hill. Its lower reaches are of only moderate steepness, and the surface is asphalt, but the upper reaches of this cul-de-sac are far steeper, and surfaced in concrete, for ease of maintenance (tar seal would flow down the slope on a warm day) and for safety in Dunedin's frosty winters. At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is approximately 1:2.86 (19° or 35%) - that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation rises by 1 metre. The street's steepness was unintentional. As with many other parts of Dunedin , and indeed New Zealand , streets were laid out in a grid pattern with no consideration for the terrain, usually by planners in London .

World's Most Crooked Road ( Lombard St – San Francisco )


Lombard Street is the most crooked road in the world and can be found in San Francisco . It is only part of the long Lombard Street and the crooked part can be found on Russian Hill between Hyde andLeavenworth streets. It only measures a quarter or a mile long between these points and the speed limit is only five mph and you can only drive one way in the downward direction. On either side of the street are San Francisco 's most expensive houses mansions, town houses and condominiums which are very much sought after.

It was built originally because vehicles could not cope with the 27% gradient so it was suggested that switchbacks of hair pin bends were built thereby making the ascent or descent more manageable. It was also quite difficult for pedestrians to climb as 16% gradient was more manageable.


Note: most people unfamiliar with San Francisco believe that Lombard Street is the most crooked street, but it's not. It's just better known, prettier, and part of a wealthier neighborhood than the actual most crooked street. Vermont Street between 20th St & 22nd St in San Francisco 's Portrero Hill district is actually the most crooked.

Most Complicated Interchange (Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange – Los Angles)



The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange is situated in Los Angeles , CA , and is one of the most complicated interchanges in the country. It permits entry and exit in all directions between the I-105 and the I-110. It's a stack interchange with layers of bridges making a complicated network of roads allowing smooth flow of traffic though both the interstate highways. This interchange was opened in 1993. It is a 4 level interchange with a restricted access lane that can be used by high-occupancy vehicles.


Source: Shrenik R. Dalal