Lexington Avenue, North-south avenue in Manhattan, United States
Lexington Avenue is a north-south street on Manhattan's East Side that runs for approximately 5.5 miles from East 131st Street southward. It functions as a major traffic route with multiple bus lines and connects to the IRT Lexington Avenue subway line beneath the pavement.
Samuel Ruggles initiated the creation of this avenue in 1836, establishing a connection between Third and Fourth Avenues. This early planning became part of the East Side's street network expansion.
The Unitarian Church of All Souls at East 80th Street shapes the avenue's character as one of America's earliest congregations of its faith. Religious institutions like this one have defined neighborhoods along the route for generations.
The avenue operates as a one-way street moving southbound, organizing traffic flow along the route. Travelers can use numerous bus lines or access the subway connection below for moving through the area.
In 1899, the city recorded its first speeding arrest here when a taxi driver exceeded safe speeds. This early traffic violation shows how quickly urban transportation evolved.
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