Park Slope's Narrow Sidewalks Offer No Social Distance, Map Says

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Good luck trying to keep a safe social distance on Park Slope's sidewalks, according to a new online tool.

Most of Park Slope's pedestrian walkways are too narrow to maintain the recommended 6 feet between people to stop the new coronavirus' spread, found sidewalkswidths.nyc.

The site is the brainchild of urban planner Meli Harvey, who compiled city data about sidewalk widths across New York City.

It didn't take long for Park Slopers to find their neighborhood's sidewalks were a grid of red, orange and yellow — the map's color coding for walkways too narrow or difficult for proper social distancing.

To keep up to date with coronavirus developments in Park Slope, sign up for Patch's news alerts and newsletter.

The map came out amid debate over closing down city streets to traffic and opening them up to pedestrians during the outbreak.

Manhattanites variously proposed opening up Broadway and 16 streets on the island's west side. In Brooklyn, the debate is intertwined with concerns that Prospect Park seemly gets overcrowded.

But Mayor Bill de Blasio quickly scuttled a city experiment that opened up small stretches of streets in four boroughs, including Brooklyn. He said it required too many police officers to monitor, an argument advocates found ridiculous.

Park Slope has seen high-profile kerfuffles over social distancing, from its once-crowded co-opto residents shouting warnings at pedestrians. And the neighborhood ranked in the top tier of 311calls over social distancing.

Turns out, if the map is right, Park Slope just might not have enough width.

Coronavirus In NYC: Latest Happenings And Guidance

Email PatchNYC@patch.com to reach a Patch reporter or fill out this anonymous form to share your coronavirus stories. All messages are confidential.