The Planet’s 5 Most Odd Streets
Wick, Caithness, Scotland lays claim to the world's shortest street. Named “Ebenezer Place”, it has only one address and measures just 6 feet 9 inches in length. Its one numbered address is the door to the No. 1 Bistro restaurant of the Mackays Hotel. In 1883, city officials required the owner, Alexander Sinclair, to place a sign over the door found on the short side of his hotel. It was officially named a street in 1887 when the sign was finally implemented.
While Scotland claims the shortest, the narrowest street is in Reutlingen, Germany. The “street” is really just a passageway from a rear courtyard. When the street was measured in 2006, it was found to be only 31 centimeters at its narrowest point. During the 18th century, the area where it is found was devastated by fire. To prevent a future reoccurrence, a narrow space was left between buildings. The result is Sp reuerhofstrasse. None of the German car manufacturers have made a small enough car to drive this road.
When most people hear the term “crooked street,” they invariably think about Lombard Street in San Francisco. According to Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the crookedest street is Snake Alley in Burlington, Iowa. Completed in 1898, the street connects the downtown business district and a neighborhood shopping area. Snake Alley has 2 quarter-curves and 5 half-curves over its 275-foot length as it covers the 21% grade of Heritage Hill, between Washington and Columbia Streets. Like Lombard Street, traffic is only allowed to travel downhill.
In some instances, roads are not constructed to help traverse steep hills. In New Zealand, we can find the record-holding steepest street on Earth. Baldwin Street in Dunedin is merely 350 feet long, but climbs an impressive 35% grade. The city’s grid layout was designed in Britain by individuals who had never been to New Zealand and were inexperienced with the city’s terrain.
Most individuals realize that the English drive on the left side and that they have a lot of roundabouts. The Magic Roundabout in Swindon takes it to the extreme. Automobiles circle counterclockwise in the inner ring. While that is happening, vehicles that are driving the outer rings circle in a clockwise fashion. Really, the English driving on the left and right side of the roads simultaneously while in the Magic Roundabout.
James Anderson writes about the many car companies and also about traveling. He believes the BMW car brand is the best on the market.