At what point does a street become South vs. North or East vs. West?

Question

What is the street South or North of?

Answer 1

when a city is formed, they typically define a city center, this being the intersection of two roads, one typically E-W, one N-S. As this is the "center" of the city, everything can be defined as being "north" or "east" etc.

Of note, you'll find most of these types of streets have names like Broad Street, Main Street, Center Street, which convey a feeling of the "main" thoroughfare through the city.

Answer 2

And then there is Salt Lake city with the Mormon Temple in the center and FOUR Temple streets. North Temple and South Temple run east - west. Similarly East Temple and West Temple run north - south and circumscribe Temple Square. So - an address for example may be 2201 West North Temple Street. which means it is located 22 blocks west of the Temple on the street that passes e-w on the north side of Temple Square.

Answer 3

Probably the easiest way to find out how they divided up your city is to go to mapquest.com or a similar site and play with it a little. Put in the name of a street that you know spans a lot of town or is a main thoroughfare and that goes E/W. Search for 100 E. Main street (for example). Right around where the numbers start, you're going to find the cutoff for E/W. Now do the same thing for another street that goes N/S. Where those numbers start is where the N/S cutoff is. Where those two streets intersect at the lowest #'s is the center of town.

Even better than doing it online is to go drive it - take your kids or friends and make a day of it.

Answer 4

Cities have set a reference point. Usually in the middle of town. Cross streets will be referenced by that point. One side will be say NORTH, and on the other side, SOUTH.

Then another street will aslo be used as a reference. Streets on one side will be EAST and WEST on the other side.

Using the interssection of the two reference streets will be the center point of the city, usually, or at least it was when the streets were orginially laid out.

Answer 5

If you are in the Houston area...good luck figuring that out. Some of the streets around here change when a freeway or the tollway are crossed. Others change when they cross a particular intersection. ..and still others change when they cross a major street. Some streets even change names completely when a freeway or city limit boundary are crossed...like the major road near my workplace which actually has 3 names.

Answer 6

The S or N, E or W changes at whatever is considered the main streets in your town, at least that's how it's done out here in the west. : )

Answer 7

In our town, we have a canal that divides the east side of town from the west. If you are on a highway that crosses over the bridges or the tunnel, it is EAST MAIN (or w/e) on one side, and once you cross, it is WEST MAIN.

Answer 8

usually cities have a 00 point in their downtown, city center, or business district--so the addresses will focus from that point outward

for example in Chicago 00N/S is Madison St and 00E/W is State St

Answer 9

The town square--the center of town.

Answer 10

the a kind of things I guess you neet to know may be