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Canton Avenue
The steepest street in the US - and possibly in the world - makes an intriguing challenge for cyclists
Category Intriguing Environs, Wondrous Performances
Canton Avenue, in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh, is the steepest street in the United States, with a maximum gradient of 37 percent. Though only one-tenth of a mile long, for every 100 feet there is a 37-foot elevation gain. (Although Baldwin Avenue in New Zealand is commonly cited as the world's steepest street, its gradient is only 35%, but Baldwin's gradient does continue for longer than Canton's.)
Begun in 1983, Pittsburgh's annual Dirty Dozen bike race takes cyclists over Pittsburgh's thirteen steepest hills, including cobblestone-paved Canton - the steepest by far. In the words of the race's founder: "That hill gets about half the people the first time up. People don't take it seriously enough. Once they crash or don't make it once or twice, then they take it more seriously. But some people try three and four times and don't make it and give up. The hill just defeats them."
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- Address Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Comments
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I suspect that portion of E. Sycamore in Pittsburgh are steeper. There was once a short street next to the PAT light rail tunnel under Mt. Washington as well.
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Anonymous
September 16, 2009
I don't know...Jefferson Hill in Athens, Ohio is a doozy! -
Anonymous
July 31, 2009
That's not steep come to Kalamunda Perth western australia I'll show you steep.
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