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.