Poll of the Day > How far is a block?

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I always hear people talking about how things are "three blocks away". I don't get it. What's a block?

My guess is that a block is the distance between one intersection from another since on a map that would look like a "block"?

THEGODDAMNBATMA posted...

My guess is that a block is the distance between one intersection from another since on a map that would look like a "block"?

Correct

Generally the distance between two intersections, though sometimes relatively minor intersections will be discounted if it's a larger road. As a unit for measuring distance, it's pretty thoroughly useless due how variable and arbitrary it is. It's only really useful for giving directions, since the recipient of the directions can count the number of streets they cross.

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adjl posted...

Generally the distance between two intersections, though sometimes relatively minor intersections will be discounted if it's a larger road. As a unit for measuring distance, it's pretty thoroughly useless due how variable and arbitrary it is. It's only really useful for giving directions, since the recipient of the directions can count the number of streets they cross.

I just think of it as another way of saying "it's really close", rather than an accurate way to measure distance.

I'm from the suburbs of Chicago, so to me a block is simple to know and remember, because block numbers and addresses go hand in hand. I'm would assume this is how blocks and addresses work everywhere, but I'd probably be wrong.

"In Chicago, there are 8 "standard" city blocks per mile. Although many blocks are further divided in half. A standard block has 100 address numbers, meaning there are 800 numbers per mile. Chicago address numbering begins downtown at State Street and Madison Street, State Street is 0 east and west, and Madison Street is 0 north and south. The major streets a mile apart have address numbers which are multiples of 800.
On Chicago's south side, the east-west streets are numbered. And those numbers correspond to the address numbers, in hundreds. For example, 87th Street is 8700 south. There actually were "errors" over the first 3 miles south of Madison Street, resulting in 12th Street, 22nd Street, and 31st Street being the first 3 "mile" streets south of Madison Street. South of 31st Street, there are 8 numbered streets per mile. 12th Street eventually became Roosevelt Road, while 22nd Street is now Cermak Road.
There are a few exceptions to this otherwise logical street numbering system. Most notably a 3 mile segment of Archer Avenue, a diagonal street on Chicago's southwest side. Many of Chicago's suburbs use the same numbering system as Chicago, while other suburbs use their own systems"

In Murican terms, about a third of a football field.

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Do you not live in a city with blocks?

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https://i.imgur.com/b6dsCfD.png

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ReggieTheReckless posted...

I'm from the suburbs of Chicago, so to me a block is simple to know and remember, because block numbers and addresses go hand in hand. I'm would assume this is how blocks and addresses work everywhere, but I'd probably be wrong.

"In Chicago, there are 8 "standard" city blocks per mile. Although many blocks are further divided in half. A standard block has 100 address numbers, meaning there are 800 numbers per mile. Chicago address numbering begins downtown at State Street and Madison Street, State Street is 0 east and west, and Madison Street is 0 north and south. The major streets a mile apart have address numbers which are multiples of 800.
On Chicago's south side, the east-west streets are numbered. And those numbers correspond to the address numbers, in hundreds. For example, 87th Street is 8700 south. There actually were "errors" over the first 3 miles south of Madison Street, resulting in 12th Street, 22nd Street, and 31st Street being the first 3 "mile" streets south of Madison Street. South of 31st Street, there are 8 numbered streets per mile. 12th Street eventually became Roosevelt Road, while 22nd Street is now Cermak Road.
There are a few exceptions to this otherwise logical street numbering system. Most notably a 3 mile segment of Archer Avenue, a diagonal street on Chicago's southwest side. Many of Chicago's suburbs use the same numbering system as Chicago, while other suburbs use their own systems"

In Omaha, and Douglas and Sarpy Counties, there are 12 "blocks" to the mile, with building numbers increasing by 100 per block, or 1200 per mile. The north-south streets are numbered upwards from roughly around the Missouri River westwards, with most major roads being increments of 12. East-west streets are given names instead of number, which are totally random (Pacific, Dodge, Blondo, Maple, etc), but they also have 1200 building numbers per mile.

In Lincoln, and Lancaster, Gage, and Seward Counties, a mile is divided into 14 blocks, with the north-south streets numbered upwards starting from about where Salt Creek crosses US-6 in Lincoln. North-south roads east of Salt Creek are designated East ### St, while roads to the west of Salt Creek are NW ### St or SW ### St, depending on whether they are north or south of US-6.

Cass County, which is wedged in between Sarpy and Lancaster Counties, does both, increments of 12 from US-75 (which is on the same line as the river in Omaha) to US-50, then counting down from 362 in increments of 14 so at the county line the numbers match up with Lancaster County.

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