Pittsburgh’s Canton Avenue loses ‘steepest’ title to Welsh street

Pittsburgh just lost a tiny bit of its steep mojo.

For as long as we can recall, Canton Avenue in Beechview — with its 37% grade — has been the steepest street in the city. And the country. And the world.

Now, that world title is no more. A street in Wales has been officially declared the steepest, coming in with a 37.45% grade.

The Associated Press reports a campaign waged by residents caught the attention of the folks at Guinness World Records. On Tuesday, Guinness presented a plaque to residents stating that the street of Ffordd Pen Llech in the seafront town of Harlech, 245 miles northwest of London, was tops.

Pittsburgh has really never held the world title, but only because Guinness has never bestowed a plaque on our fair city. Up to now, according to Guinness, the world title holder was Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand (with a 35% grade).

Canton’s place as the steepest street in the United States has been recognized by major news outlets like Fox News, Huffington Post, Atlas Obscura and even Google Maps.

To be fair, some outlets (including the Huffington Post) have begun to recognize Waipio Valley Road in Honokaa, Hawaii, as being tops (with sections at a 45% grade), but that street generally averages at 30%. After Canton, the United States’ next steepest street is Eldred Street in Los Angeles, with a 33.3% grade.

As for the new record holder, the residents of Harlech seized the moment.

“I first realized this street was a contender for the steepest street in the world when my car slid straight down with all four tires locked,” Harlech resident Gwyn Headley told Guinness.

So, Headley got together with the town’s other residents and applied for the title. An expert surveyor (with specific qualifications required by Guinness) was hired to visit the town and verify the street’s gradient.

Ffordd Pen Llech in Harlech, Wales
(Guinness World Records)

Guinness defines a street or road as “a public thoroughfare that is commonly used by the public who have a right of access to drive vehicles along it to get from one destination to another.”

Sounds like Canton Avenue to us.

“It’s fantastic,” said local business owner Jerry Roberts. “We’ve got the castle, the record, the views. You can’t beat us!”

Hmm, maybe it’s time Pittsburgh looks into some strategic repaving of Canton.