. ▁Thus , ▁the ▁grid ' s ▁" west " ▁is ▁approximately ▁ 2 9 ▁degrees ▁north ▁of ▁true ▁west . ▁The ▁grid ▁covers ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁from ▁ 1 4 th ▁Street ▁north . ▁ ▁All ▁number ed ▁streets ▁carry ▁an ▁East ▁or ▁West ▁prefix ▁( for ▁example , ▁East ▁ 1 0 th ▁Street ▁or ▁West ▁ 1 0 th ▁Street ), ▁which ▁changes ▁from ▁one ▁to ▁the ▁other ▁at ▁Broadway ▁below ▁ 8 th ▁Street , ▁and ▁at ▁Fif th ▁Avenue ▁at ▁ 8 th ▁Street ▁and ▁above . ▁The ▁number ed ▁streets ▁carry ▁c ros st own ▁traffic . ▁In ▁general , ▁but ▁with ▁numerous ▁exceptions , ▁even - number ed ▁streets ▁are ▁one - way ▁east bound ▁and ▁odd - number ed ▁streets ▁are ▁one - way ▁west bound . ▁Most ▁wider ▁streets , ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁of ▁the ▁narrow ▁ones , ▁carry ▁two - way ▁traffic . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁number ed ▁streets ▁begin ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁East ▁Houston ▁Street ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁Village , ▁they ▁generally ▁do ▁not ▁extend ▁west ▁into ▁Green wich ▁Village , ▁which ▁already ▁had ▁established , ▁named ▁streets ▁when ▁the ▁grid ▁plan ▁was ▁laid ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁Commission ers ' ▁Plan ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 1 . ▁Some ▁streets ▁in ▁that ▁area ▁that ▁do ▁continue ▁farther ▁west ▁change ▁direction ▁before ▁reaching ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River . ▁ ▁The ▁highest ▁number ed ▁street ▁on ▁Manh attan ▁Island ▁is ▁ 2 2 0 th ▁Street , ▁but ▁Mar ble ▁Hill ▁is ▁also