     madison avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of manhattan in new york city, united states, that carries northbound one-way traffic. it runs from madison square (at 23rd street) to the madison avenue bridge at 138th street. in doing so, it passes through midtown, the upper east side (including carnegie hill), spanish harlem, and harlem. it is named after and arises from madison square, which is itself named after james madison, the fourth president of the united states. since the 1920s, the street's name has been metonymous with the american advertising industry. madison avenue was not part of the original new york city street grid established in the commissioners' plan of 1811, and was carved between park avenue (formerly fourth) and fifth avenue in 1836, due to the effort of lawyer and real estate developer samuel b. ruggles who had previously purchased and developed new york's gramercy park in 1831, who was in part responsible for the development of union square, and who also named lexington avenue. ==characteristics== madison avenue carries one-way traffic uptown (northbound) from east 23rd street to east 135th street, with the changeover from two-way traffic taking place on january 14, 1966, at which time fifth avenue was changed to one way downtown (southbound).kihss, peter. "5th and madison avenues become one-way friday; change to come 7 weeks ahead of schedule to ease strike traffic 5th and madison to be made one-way friday", the new york times, january 
Shopping_districts_and_streets_in_the_United_States Streets_in_Manhattan