How many grid units to a mile? (Salt Lake City, Orem: distance, convert)

[mleblanc138]

I'm just looking to find out once and for all how grid units convert to miles. 800 North in Orem is posted as 1 mile North of Center Street. I once read a visitor's guide to Salt Lake City that said 7 blocks to the mile. I'm pretty sure the number I'm looking for is between 700 and 800, but I'm looking for a precise number.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by mleblanc138

I'm just looking to find out once and for all how grid units convert to miles. 800 North in Orem is posted as 1 mile North of Center Street. I once read a visitor's guide to Salt Lake City that said 7 blocks to the mile. I'm pretty sure the number I'm looking for is between 700 and 800, but I'm looking for a precise number.

I tried to find this out once by using Google Maps. I put in the starting address as the intersection of 100 South 700 East and the ending address at 4300 South 700 East. That would be an absolutely straight line between these two points with a distance of 42 blocks between them. I expected to see the total distance shown as 6 miles (since 6 x 7 = 42). It was actually 6.2 miles, which would make the blocks to miles conversion come out to 1 mile = 6.774 blocks. I think that the reason why it's not more of a round number is that each Salt Lake City square block is 1 acre. And acres don't convert nicely to miles.

[mleblanc138]

That would also be 677 grid units to the mile, interesting. Looks like the only way to find out for sure is to get a pedometer and walk in one direction from a specific point until it says 1 mile.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by mleblanc138

That would also be 677 grid units to the mile, interesting. Looks like the only way to find out for sure is to get a pedometer and walk in one direction from a specific point until it says 1 mile.

Well, if you try it, let me know, as I've also been curious. I'm not 100% positive that they're the same in Orem as in Salt Lake City, either. Do you know?