Howe Street Stairs
Howe Street Stairs | |
---|---|
Publicstairway | |
Three flights of the Howe Street Stairs pictured in June 2016 | |
Opening date | 1911 |
Steps | 388 |
Location | Seattle,United States |
Coordinates:47°38′10″N122°19′14″W/ 47.6360°N 122.3206°W |
TheHowe Street Stairs(also known as theEast Howe Steps,Howe Stairs,Howe Street Staircase,and theHowe Staircase) are a public, outdoorstaircasethat straddlesSeattle'sCapitol HillandEastlakeneighborhoods. They were constructed in 1911.
History
[edit]Due toSeattle's difficult topography,the city has spent more than a century building in excess of 650 staircases linking sections of neighborhoods that are otherwise isolated or disconnected. The Howe Street Stairs were originally built in 1911 to provide a pedestrian link between two different lines in Seattle's former streetcar system.[1]
A proposal to construct a plaza at the bottom of the staircase has been advanced by area residents since the 2000s.[2]
Design
[edit]The stairs, which begin at Eastlake Avenue, are divided into 13 flights interrupted by landings and streets. They contain 388 steps and are the longest such staircase in the city.[1]A portion of the stairs pass through theI-5 Colonnade,a city park under an elevated section ofInterstate 5.They terminate at Howe Street, from which they take their name.[1][3]
The stairs sit parallel to the nearbyBlaine Street Stairs,which transits an identical route. They are used for exercise and fitness, as well as commuting.[3][4][5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcJamarillo, Jake (2012).Seattle Stairway Walks: An Up-and-Down Guide to City Neighborhoods.Mountaineers Books. pp. 11, 70–74.ISBN978-1594856778.
- ^"Existing East Howe Steps through Colonnade Park".easthowestepsplaza.com.East Howe Steps Plaza Steering Committee.Retrieved10 June2016.
- ^abSmith, Craig (27 November 1996)."How To Take 13 Flights To Fitness – 282 Steps Favorite Training Site For Athletes, Fitness Buffs".Seattle Times.Retrieved10 June2016.
- ^Yandel, Jeannie (8 February 2013)."The Hidden Legacy Of Seattle Stairways".KUOW-FM.Retrieved10 June2016.
- ^"COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT APPLICATION–2011–2012"(PDF).Office of the City Clerk.City of Seattle.Retrieved10 June2016.