Slips on icy concrete aren’t the only danger New Yorkers are facing on sidewalks. Missing or poorly designed curb cuts, sidewalk cracks, and overgrown shrubs are just some of the city’s longtime access problems.
For Dustin Jones, who uses a wheelchair, this means trips to the supermarket and doctor’s offices can take twice as long. He gets stuck at the corners of sidewalks with missing ramps or those that are too damaged to roll over them, and has to reroute, sometimes all around the block. Otherwise, Jones might pierce his wheelchair tire or trip passing through a poorly maintained sidewalk. He has even missed medical appointments due to these problems.
A slanted curb cut can pose unique threats to New Yorkers who, like Jones, have mobility issues. It can make slipping or tipping more likely, especially when the weather’s bad. And it can direct wheelchair users into traffic. A curb cut that slanted to the left when Jones was moving on 42nd Street towards 3rd Avenue spit him into the busy street. He had to course correct right away.
Jones, a Midtown Manhattan resident, says these hurdles happen more than most might imagine: “It’s literally on almost every other block,” he said.
He had no idea himself until 2011, when an accident left him with mobility problems: “I was trying to transition back to what would be my new version of normal — only then that I realized curb cuts was an issue,” he said.
The settled and unresolved in sidewalk access
This new awareness drove Jones to lead advocacy efforts for better sidewalk and transit accessibility. He founded United for Equal Access NY Inc., a disability rights organization. He was also part of a 2014 federal class-action lawsuit against the city around sidewalk access. The suit, filed by Jones, another plaintiff, and New York’s Center for Independence of the Disabled (CIDNY), alleged the city neglected curb cuts and accessible sidewalks in Lower Manhattan. CIDNY found over 75% of Lower Manhattan curb cuts had issues.
This problem is not unique to Lower Manhattan: the United Spinal Association filed a lawsuit against the city in 1994 over its failure to install curb cuts citywide. The suit was settled in 2002 but the issues were not resolved. After the 2014 suit and subsequent 2019 settlement, the city became responsible for resolving both lawsuits, improving sidewalk access across the boroughs. The agreement involves fixing broken pavement, steep or missing curb cuts, and adding warning strips. The city is required to survey all pedestrian ramps for accessibility needs. It also agreed to track and respond to complaints from the public.
Most of this work is slated to be done by 2034.
Advocates say there’s still a long way to go, even if we consider only neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan. “I’ve been in certain parts below 14th street, … and I’ve seen just horrible conditions,” said Jones.
Sometimes it’s so bad, he says he’s forced to use bike lanes or streets instead of sidewalks in certain areas.
Jeff Peters, director of communications at CIDNY, says he sees a mix of response times around sidewalk fixes, including curb cuts, partly based on how wealthy the neighborhood is: “Predominantly they follow the money,” Peters said. “If you look at many maps, a lot of the upgrades or fixes occur in areas where there is more money.”
Jones says sidewalk quality can vary from block to block. “Everything is great on my side, because it’s new construction, so everything is fresh …versus when I go two blocks away, or in some cases, it’s just a block away, and it’s like, I stepped into a whole new world,” he said.
Studies, like this one of Pontiac, Michigan, find that sidewalks are in worse condition in lower-income areas and those with more Black and Latino residents. Researchers say unequal investment in infrastructure is largely at fault.
While DOT didn’t directly respond to questions about these sidewalk disparities, a spokesperson said via email that “NYC DOT is committed to making our pedestrian space safe and accessible for all. Sidewalk maintenance and repair are the responsibility of property owners, and the agency deploys rotating crews across the five boroughs to ensure an equitable response to New Yorkers’ service requests.”
The larger fight to block sidewalk blockades
Sidewalk access is also affected by ongoing problems outside the scope of the 2019 settlement. For one, it’s common to see police cars illegally parked near police stations: A 2023 study found that illegal parking that made sidewalks inaccessible was happening around 91% of the city’s 77 stationhouses. The practice blocks sidewalks and crosswalks, so people with disabilities can’t easily move across them. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to sue the NYPD over it.
Peters says it tops the list of common accessibility complaints the nonprofit receives. Second on the list: broken or uneven sidewalks. Just as common are complaints around objects that block sidewalk access, he says.
Peters worries that this may include the big bins that were rolled out under the city’s new trash rules — especially if they tip over or otherwise block sidewalks.
“[I’ve seen bins] not locked to anything — they’re just locked to each other — so now you have a three or four length trash fishing line,” Peters said. “If one of these fall over, they all fall over, and now you have a cord that people can trip over or interact with.”
He says greater inclusion of people with disabilities while planning city initiatives would take access into account. Same with snow removal, he says: “I’ve seen people clear snow by just pushing a shovel in a straight line and saying, ‘Okay, here’s a path.’ But that’s not enough.”
A path that works for someone walking may not be wide enough for a person using a wheelchair, motorized scooter, crutches, or a rollator, Peters says, nor for a blind person using a cane.
NextDoor commenters have also noted overgrown shrubbery that makes it impossible to pass through sizable sections of a block. A 2021 study on sidewalk quality in another large city found that shrubs and overhanging trees were some of the most common sidewalk obstructions. And while there’s limited data on how prevalent it is in New York City, there’s a specific category for reporting overgrown grass or weeds to the city.
How to seek help for sidewalk accessibility
Whatever the hurdle is, it’s a good idea to document and report it, advocates say. That way there’s a record of any unresolved issue. Otherwise, the city might accurately claim they’re not receiving any complaints about these issues. It’s also important to know who is responsible for what. Different city agencies handle specific sidewalk issues:
- The Department of Sanitation handles complaints about overgrown vegetation, garbage, and uncleared snow or ice. It inspects and issues summonses when necessary.
- The Parks Department assesses tree-related sidewalk damage for one- to three-family properties.
The city may help repair serious sidewalk damage caused by tree roots next to one-, two-, and three-family homes, but only under certain conditions. Since funding is limited, repairs are prioritized based on how severe the damage is, how much foot traffic the area gets, and the size and health of the tree.
Read more about the Trees & Sidewalks Program here.
- The Department of Environmental Protection investigates issues related to underground utilities, like sewer lines, water mains, and house connections.
For example, a broken water main can cause flooding under the sidewalk, leading to cracks or sinking pavement. Sewer or gas lines may be damaged by growing tree roots, causing cracks in the sidewalk. Also, when city agencies or utility companies need to access underground pipes or cables for repair and maintenance, they often have to dig up sections of the sidewalk. That can lead to temporary closures or uneven surfaces on the sidewalk.
- The Department of Transportation (DOT) inspects general sidewalk defects (anything not covered by the above). It may issue violation notices to property owners. Common complaints include cracks, uneven surfaces, trip hazards, and pooling of water.
Report problems involving construction work on a sidewalk, a sidewalk blocked by construction, or other street and sidewalk problems to 311.
Emergency sidewalk issues, such as collapsed sections, are inspected within three days, according to the DOT. Non-emergency defects are typically reviewed within 180 days, they say.
You can track ramp upgrades at nycpedramps.info/resources.
Note: Property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks in front of their properties. So providing an accurate street address and photos helps ensure proper inspection.
If repairs are needed, the city’s sidewalk program might complete the work and bill the owner. DOT also collaborates with other city agencies for more complex cases requiring site visits.
Under the sidewalk repair program, contractors guarantee their work for 18 months. If new issues arise during that time, the same contractor must fix them. After the guarantee period, the city will reinspect complaints and may issue another violation notice if necessary.
