The San Francisco Citizen

It sure looks steep. But what about this:

22nd Street in San Francisco, California is one of the steepest streets in the world. Between its intersections with Church and Vicksburg Streets in the Noe Valley neighborhood, it has a maximum gradient of 1:3.226, or 31%, the same as Filbert Street in San Francisco.

But these two blocks can’t be exactly the same, steepnesswise, right?

Filbert betwixt Hyde and Leavenworth. Click to expand:

Perhaps Adam, Jamie, Kari, Grant, or Tory, the Mythbusters of the Discovery Channel, could investigate the simplest or cheapest way to see which street has the steepest grade, and then test things out? Some people should put their lives on hold until this important issue gets resolved.  

The Steepest Streets in the City

1. Filbert between Leavenworth and Hyde (31.5% grade)
2. 22nd Street between Church and Vicksburg (31.5% grade)
3. Jones between Union and Filbert (29% grade)
4. Duboce between Buena Vista and Alpine (27.9% grade)
5. Jones between Green and Union (26% grade)
6. Webster between Vallejo and Broadway 26% grade)
7. Duboce between Alpine and Divisadero (25% grade)
8. Jones between Pine and California (24.8 grade)
9. Fillmore between Vallejo and Broadway (24% grade)

It was on this morning at the OFFICIAL 2008 NorCal Region SMART RALLY & Lombard St. Photoshoot in San Francisco. The whole thing was just like critical mass, but for cars instead of bikes.

How many Smart Cars can fit into one block of Lombard Street in scenic Russian Hill? This many, or about a hundred-something as long as you park them six inches apart and side-by-side, as if they are loading onto Noah’s Ark. Kiltbear ably captured the mise-en-scene.

Click to expand:

Photo taken by drdrtsai - check out the entire set on Flickr.

The Obamamobile was there - could this have been an opportunity for Obama to campaign? No matter, look for Smarts all over the Bay Area today.

Proposed Agenda:
-7:00 to 8am staging area (address released to registered smarties)
-8:30 line up at Lombard street
-10:30-11:30am start scenic cruise Fort Point
-12:00am meet and greet (East parking lot of Spinnikers in Sausalito)
-12:01-2:30pm lunch and/or continued meet and greet
-3pm *Optional drive down highway 1