Most claustrophobic areas in NYC based on sidewalks: Study
Where are NYC's most claustrophobic sidewalks?
If you find yourself dodging as many obstacles on New York City's sidewalks as you would on the roads, you're not alone. The numbers are in, and as FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green shows us the sidewalks where you're most likely to feel claustrophobic in the five boroughs.
NEW YORK - If you've ever been to New York City, there's a chance you've stepped foot on the over 12,000 miles of sidewalk the city has to offer.
In Times Square, though, there's a chance you might not even realize that a sidewalk is available.
In parts of SoHo, there's so much congestion that people are often forced to walk in the streets.
14th Street sidewalk crowded with bikes
We've seen them all around the city, delivery workers on their bikes bringing New Yorkers their food orders. Something that still isn't figured out is where these workers are supposed to wait when they're not actively working on an order. FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en shows us they've ended up congregating on certain blocks.
As much sidewalk as there is available in the city, in some areas there just doesn't seem to be enough.
Here's a list of the most claustrophobic areas in the city based on a study done at Cornell University.
New York City sidewalks
Sabrett Hot Dogs push-cart and steam vents in Manhattan, New York, United States of America, on July 6th, 2024. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The study looked at some of the most crowded and cluttered sidewalks in the city to eventually look further into the ongoing battle over navigable urban space in NYC.
And although first place might not surprise you, the overall rankings might.
In his research, Matt Franchi, a computer science PhD candidate considers an area "clausterphobic" depending on what he calls "crowdedness."
Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg saw notably higher-than-average levels of claustrophobia based on the findings.
Meanwhile, Staten Island had lower-than-average claustrophobia.
A woman walks past a pile of garbage bags in the Manhattan borough of New York on March 20, 2024. The mountains of black bags of garbage that invade New York's sidewalks for rats to feast on will soon be history. The city has begun introducing a garb
City officials say that they replace more than two million square feet of sidewalk a year, mostly on city-owned property and in residential neighborhoods.
Sidewalk defects that can be cited for violations are listed in section 19-152 of the New York City Administrative Code.
NYC DOT inspects sidewalks throughout the city to ensure that they are safe.
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Here are the most claustrophobic neighborhoods in NYC based on the study.
Most claustrophobic areas in NYC
Based on the research findings, here are the most jammed areas.
- Midtown Times Square
- Midtown South Flatiron Union Square
- Greenwhich Village
- SoHo
- East Midtown
- West Village
- Financial District
- Tribeca
- MurrayHill
- DUMBO Brooklyn
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 25: People walk on a sidewalk outside Penn Station as seen from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building on June 25, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Least claustrophobic areas in NYC
Based on the research findings, here are the areas with the least crowdedness.
- Jamaica Bay
- Kissena Park
- Oakwood Richmondtown
- Canarsie Park and Pier
- Mount Hebron and Cedar Grove Cemeteries
- Fort Hamilton
- Tottenville, Charlestown
- Pelham Bay Park