Step Streets in New York City
There are steps that serve as pedestrian streets, extensions of streets, ways to move from point A to point B in New York City. Most are concentrated in the West Bronx and Upper Manhattan. And I will, a few flights at a time, photograph them and stick them here.
The rules? The steps should be useful for getting between two points, be public, and not lead into or out of a building. I will try to get several shots. I will give some neighborhood context. And a verbal description of the steps themselves. Mostly I will post the photos as regular blog posts, and just link them from this page. There is no rush. Sooner or later they will all end up here.
If some are missing, go ahead, tell me. And if you want to send in photos, I’m not proud. Really, any feedback is valuable. Go ahead, tell me something.
Eventually I will add a map of the city… but not sure how that will work yet. Something clickable would be nice, but there needs to be a few more steps first.
First Links
West 238th Street between Irwin Avenue and Waldo Avenue
Van Cortlandt Park South from Gale Place to the intersection with Bailey Avenue, Van Cortlandt Avenue, and the Major Deegan Van Cortlandt Park South northbound on-ramp.
Also, what kind of teacher would I be if there wasn’t a link to that very famous steps puzzle? 
I take those steps on W238th all the time, to go to Staples! You should take pictures of the steps on Johnson, btw 230 and 231st (not the ones going through Ewan Park, the ones across the street from the school at the bottom).
I have them in the camera. And Ewen Park. And a few more. I need to upload, being careful to choose quick loaders.
BTW, went to Staples today. And Stop & Shop. Took different stairs.
Only a true Bronxite, whether born or bred, would love step streets – or even know what they are! Thanks for this.
There’s one in Ft Washington – pretty sure it’s W187th going from Ft Washington Ave (near the entrance to the Cloisters) down to Bennett Ave. But they are truly a Bronx phenonemon. And the amazing thing is they usually keep the name of the street the same on both sides – they truly are a step street – like Van Cortlandt Park South, same name above and below the steps.
Tina Vozick
I’ve been lazy, but I will start adding more. I want to include “step elevators” (you know the subway stations) but I don’t think they really count. The tunnel from Broadway to the IRT at 190 is pretty amazing….
Yes, I know that tunnel – it is pretty incredible. But do check out that step street from Bennett (one block west of Broadway) at I think it’s 187th, up to Ft Washington Avenue
Jonathan,
I hadn’t checked your site in a while…this is a fantastic idea. Now, you have to visit my old stomping grounds, Morningside Park! Some argue the steps from “down the hill” to “up the hill” folks at Columbia are a metaphoric climb. Although I would stay at the bottom of the hill and enjoy the personality!
Coming to VA again anytime soon?
:)
Eliz
if you tag them highway=steps on the OpenStreetMap project http://www.openstreetmap.org/ , you can use QueryToMap http://toolserver.org/~kolossos/osm/index.php?way=highway=steps&node=&relation=&description=&request=Submit&output=osm&bbox=-73.98,40.75,-73.82,40.87 to plot them.
I’m having trouble following what you’ve asked me to do? Do you want me to add them to your map?
I see that some of them exist (narrow-cased streets seem to be ped-only), but some don’t (entirely missing, even gaps in the grid), and some look like regular streets.
Yes, if there is an existing way for the route, you can split out the step section and tag it with “highway=stairs” (yes, I know, it’s not a highway, but that’s the name of the description of where people travel.)
My email is russ@cloudmade.com. Feel free to ask for help.
I live up the street from the West 187th Street step street (between Overlook Terrace and Fort Washington Avenue) and will try to send a photo when I can. I did not realize that step streets proliferate in the Bronx. There are many more here in the Washington Heights/Inwood neighborhoods of Upper Manhattan.