Baldwin Street - Controversy of Claim

Controversy of Claim

Baldwin Street's claim to fame has caused some controversy after it emerged that the original entry in the Guinness Book of Records was based on a typographical error, claiming a maximum gradient of 1:1.266 (38° or 79%). This appears to be an error for 1:2.66, which itself is slightly steeper than the currently accepted figure of 1:2.86. Alternatively, the mistake may have been caused by confusion between grade in degrees and percentage grade, mixing up 38% with 38°. Nevertheless, Guinness officially recognises Baldwin Street as the world's steepest street at a 35% grade.

Other notably steep streets include:

• The Côte St-Ange in Chicoutimi, Canada with a 33% gradient (about 18°).
• Canton Avenue, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States; it is officially measured to be a 37% grade. However, that angle of 37% only extends about 6.5 metres, whereas Baldwin Street's steepest part stretches considerably farther.
• Eldred Street in Los Angeles, United States; one of three streets in Los Angeles between 32% and 33.3%,.
• Filbert and 22nd Streets in San Francisco, California, United States each have 31 to 31.5% (17°) for 60–70 metres. Several short pieces of San Francisco streets are steeper, including a 10 metre section of Bradford street paved in 2010 that averages 39–40% grade.
• Waipio Valley Road (20°7′11″N 155°35′36″W / 20.11972°N 155.59333°W / 20.11972; -155.59333 (Waipio Valley Road)) on the island of Hawai'i, 25% for 1 kilometre with peak gradients much higher; some claim 45%. This is a paved public road but it is not a residential street and is open only to 4 wheel drive vehicles.

Many streets in the west of England and in Wales have reported slopes of 33% and higher. A street in Harlech, Wales has a reported slope of 40%. Vale Street in Bristol is often also reported as the steepest street in Britain and hence may have a slope even steeper than 40%. However these roads are mostly shorter roads than those listed above.