Okay, so the scaffolding finally came down on Court between Atlantic and Pacific after what felt like three years. I was psyched for about 12 minutes. Now the coffee place and the wine bar both have these wooden sheds out to the curb, and the actual passable sidewalk is maybe three feet wide. It was honestly easier to navigate under the old sidewalk shed, and that thing was dark and dripped on you. At least people walked single-file and kept it moving. Now it’s strollers, dogs, and someone reading a menu in the middle of the only gap.

Wait is this by the F/G stop? I just moved over here and thought those sheds were permanent. I was so confused why the sidewalk was so narrow. Do they have to leave a certain width, or does nobody actually check?

Those are the dining sheds. They were pandemic-era but now a bunch are basically permanent unless someone complains. The rule is supposed to be something like an 8-foot clear path, but nobody measures. I've started walking on the street edge of that block when the bike lane is empty, which is obviously its own problem.

Oh I have strong feelings about this! The old scaffolding at least had a ceiling and lights. These parklets have wobbly planters, heat lamps, and those little velvet ropes that people swing into your shins. Have you tried walking through after 9 p.m. on a Friday? It’s a whole maze! The one on Henry is even worse because the host stand is practically out next to the curb.

Yeah the planters are the worst. The Henry one has that sign stand that takes up another foot. I don't mind the sheds in cold weather, but they shouldn't be allowed to keep the same pinch point when the old scaffolding had to come down.

Is there a way to report it? I saw a 311 category for sidewalk obstruction but I didn’t know if that applies to dining sheds. Also I thought they had to take them down seasonally? Or did the city just let them stay?

They were supposed to be seasonal at first, but the city kept extending the program and a lot of places rebuilt them way sturdier. You can file under blocked sidewalk, but in my experience nothing happens fast. I'd rather report the trash piled against the planter because that actually gets picked up.

Yes! The 311 category is blocked sidewalk, then by obstacle. But the restaurant's permit usually just gets a warning. The real move is to email the community board because they review the outdoor dining permits. Also, if the shed doesn’t have a proper ramp or has a gap in the platform, that’s an accessibility complaint and they actually move faster on that. Have you tried looking up the permit number on the side of the shed?

Honestly between the sheds and the double-parked delivery trucks, I've just started crossing over to the west side of Court and walking on the other side. The whole block is a mess. Doesn’t help that everyone with a bag of takeout stops right at the corner to check their phone.

For the record, if you want to actually sit in one of those sheds without getting rushed, that's a whole separate thing. There was a good earlier thread, Flushing birthday dinner for 10 — where can we get a private-ish round table and not get rushed?: Flushing birthday dinner for 10 — where can we get a private-ish round table and not get rushed?. But anyway, I still think the worst invention is the heat lamp arm that swings out over the sidewalk.