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Both legs of the Gateway Arch are designed with more than 1,000 internal fire escapes. To be precise, on each side he has 1,076 steps. (Photo courtesy of Gateway Arch National Park)
ST. LOUIS – Unbeknownst to some, there is one way to get to the top of the Gateway Arch without taking the streetcar. The alternatives are very daunting and are unlikely to be an option for most people.
Both legs of the Gateway Arch are designed with more than 1,000 internal fire escapes. To be precise, on each side he has 1,076 steps.
The staircase was installed in the 1960s when crews were working on the construction of the Gateway Arch. Believe it or not, it is rarely used. Visitors are very unlikely to use them or not at all.
According to the FAQ section of the Gateway Arch website, “there are 1,076 internal stairs.” [each leg of] gateway arch. And even if you want to climb it, you can’t. Steps are used for maintenance and emergency purposes only. ”
Still, the history and influence of fire escapes is very interesting.
First, Arch officials shared a photo of the fire escape with FOX 2, courtesy of Gateway Arch National Park.
It is worth noting that the stairs in the photo are a separate unit and separate from the 96 steps you need to climb to reach the observation deck after boarding the tram.
Arch officials say there’s a good chance you’ll notice part of the staircase if you look through the open window of a streetcar going up or down. That said, visitors can only see the staircase on his one leg of the arch, as they use the same side to go up and down from the viewing area.
Engineers designed the stairs on both legs to be mirror images of each other. If you look at the photo above, you’ll notice that some stairs are straight, while others are spiral. Stairs also change in size and configuration from bottom to top. There is a reason behind everything.
Arch officials told FOX 2 that this is “a feat of engineering in itself, accommodating curves and changing the size of the space from bottom to top.” There are 105 landings that make these transitions. ”
Workers may use the stairs in certain cases if they are assigned to maintain the Arch or its tram system.
Arch officials said the only time the public may be able to use the streetcar is in an emergency situation when the streetcar is deemed inoperable and streetcar passengers can be safely directed to the stairs. ing. Officials said Arch staff has been trained in safety measures should this need arise.
For reference, this emergency situation may be quite similar to what happened in July 2022, when a power outage left Arch tram cars stranded with passengers on board for two hours. Tram passengers ended up getting off the train without using the stairs.
The National Park Service added that the steps inside the arch are “always illuminated in case of an emergency” and LED lights are used on each leg.
The Gateway Arch attracted approximately 2.4 million visitors last year. It was first opened to the public in 1965. The tram ride takes approximately 9 minutes round trip and can accommodate up to 5 people per vehicle. The Arch site was designated a national park in 2018.
Click here to learn more about the Stairs and Arches Tram Ride Experience from NPS.
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