PHOTO BY SEAN COLLIER

Once considered the steepest street in the world, Beechview’s vertiginous Canton Avenue is one block of sheer tire (or ankle) terror. Drivers turning off of Coast Avenue onto the thoroughfare may be inclined to slam on the breaks; most of the road, after all, is now above you.

While the road averages out at a transmission-testing 30 degrees, some stretches reach as steep as 37 degrees — enough to make this short block one of, if not the, steepest in the United States. (The true champ is a matter of some controversy; roads in San Francisco and Hawaii have steeper sections though may not be as steep on average.)

Give it some gas and you’ll be able to scale the notorious hill, which challenges cyclists as the most nasty of the “Dirty Dozen” hills in an annual endurance race. Looking to head back down? Find another route; no one is allowed to descend Canton Avenue and for good reason. The only way is up — and if snow hits, it’s probably best to wait for a dry day to scale this monster.

Find It!
BEECHVIEW: Near the Intersection of Banksville Road and Coast Avenue