Think of the streets of Manhattan as a giant grid. With the exception of Lower Manhattan, streets operate in a grid pattern.
- Streets run horizontally from east to west.
- Avenues run vertically from north to south.
- 5th Avenue separates the east from the west side. Address numbers decrease as you get closer to the 5th Avenue and increase as you move away from the 5th Avenue.
- Broadway is an exception. In several places it “runs” diagonally, following an old Native American trail.
