Bradford Street is the steepest (41%) street of San Francisco

Located in the hilly Bernal Heights, a neighborhood in San Francisco, in the US state of California, Bradford Street is said to be the steepest street in the city with an astonishing 41% grade.

Where is Bradford Street?

The street is located above Tompkins Avenue, in the southeastern part of San Francisco, in the western part of California.

What is the steepest street in San Francisco?

Bradford Street is the steepest street in San Francisco that's usable for vehicular traffic. The majority of the street climbs steadily at about a 24% grade before exploding into a 30-foot stretch of 41% paved road. The street was fully paved in 2010 and overlooks the San Francisco skyline. On such a slope, gravity alone pulls a one-ton car downhill with 800 pounds of force, accelerating it from zero to sixty in 7.2 seconds. Starting at Tompkins Avenue, at a 20% grade, after 150 feet, the slope doubles. Two separate stairways were built alongside the stairway up to Jarboe in 2009-2010 when the street was rebuilt as part of an improvement project for the northern half of the block.

The Steepest Streets In San Francisco

1. Bradford above Tompkins (41% grade)
2. Romolo between Vallejo and Fresno (37.5% grade)
3. Prentiss between Chapman and Powhattan (37% grade)
4. Nevada above Chapman (35% grade)
5. Baden above Mangels (34% grade) *
6. Ripley between Peralta and Alabama (31.5% grade)
7. 24th between De Haro and Rhode Island (31.5% grade)
8. Filbert between Hyde and Leavenworth (31.5% grade)
9. 22nd between Vicksburg and Church (31.5% grade)
10. Broadway above Taylor (31% grade)

 

• Rim of the World is a Scenic Byway in Southern California
• Horseshoe Meadow is one of the highest roads of California