The Ave

This article is about University Way NE in Seattle, Washington, United States. For other uses, see AVE (disambiguation).

University Way NE
"The Ave"
University Way southbound from its intersection with NE 45th Street in 2006
Former name(s)Columbus Avenue
14th Avenue NE (1891–1919)
Maintained bySeattle Department of Transportation
Length1.2 mi (1.9 km)[1]
LocationSeattle, Washington
Coordinates47°39′40″N 122°18′47″W / 47.661°N 122.313°W / 47.661; -122.313
South endNE Pacific Street
North endNE Ravenna Boulevard
Erroneous signage for "University Avenue NE" at the intersection with NE 41st Street (2008)

University Way Northeast, colloquially The Ave (no period;[2] pronounced /æv/), is a major street and commercial district in the University District of Seattle, Washington, located near the University of Washington (UW) campus. Once "a department store eight blocks long," The Ave has gradually turned into what now resembles an eight-block-long global food court.[3] The story of The Ave reflects the dynamics of many urban neighborhoods and the social and economic problems of countless American cities, though it is also a crossroads of diverse subcultures. It is patronized by many of the nearly 96,900 students, faculty, and staff of the UW[4] and by a population of homeless or transient individuals, most of whom are youth.

University Way NE is a collector (tertiary) arterial,[5] running 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from just below NE Pacific Street in the south to NE Ravenna Boulevard and Cowen Park in the north, where it turns into Cowen Place NE.[1] The street had been known as "The Ave" since the early 20th century and while it was no longer officially an avenue, the nickname stuck.

  1. ^ a b "University Way NE" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  2. ^ Deutsch; Kelton; the local North Seattle Herald-Outlook uses the same convention.
  3. ^ Lehrke
  4. ^ 3,600 instructional faculty, 27,600 faculty and staff, 39,251 student enrollment on Seattle campus (Autumn 2005), 26,444 extension enrollment (non-graded programs), according to "Quick Facts". UW Home > UWIN > About the UW > UW Profile. University of Washington. April 18, 2005. Archived from the original on April 12, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2006.
  5. ^ "Street Classification Maps". Seattle Department of Transportation. 2005. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2006.
    High-Resolution Version Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, PDF format, 16.1 MB
    Medium-Resolution Version Archived March 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, PDF format, 1.45 MB January 12, 2004.
    Low-Resolution Version Archived June 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, PDF format, 825 KB January 12, 2004.
    "Planned Arterials Map Legend Definitions" Archived January 17, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, PDF format. January 12, 2004.
    The high resolution version is good for printing, 11 x 17. The low and medium resolution versions are good for quicker online viewing. [Source: "Street Classification Maps, Note on Accessing These PDF Files" Archived June 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine]