New York City May See a Reduction in Scaffolding

Scaffolding, a ubiquitous feature of New York City's streetscape, may soon become less prevalent. The City Council is set to pass several bills that aim to change the rules governing sidewalk sheds around construction sites and buildings undergoing repairs.

According to city officials, there are over 8,400 sidewalk sheds in New York City, with an average age of 16 months. Some have been standing for more than five years, with one shed remaining in place for 15 years before being taken down last August.

The proposed changes include shortening the length of permits for sheds to three months from a year, with possible penalties as high as $200 per linear foot per month. Additionally, the time between inspections would be lengthened to once every eight years for new buildings, and up to 12 years for existing ones.

Keith Powers, a City Council member who sponsored three of the bills, said, "We want to make hunter green a thing of the past," referring to the current color of scaffolding. The new rules would allow for sheds to be metallic gray, white, or a color matching the building they surround.

The administration of Mayor Eric Adams supports the bills, with Ya-Ting Liu, the mayor's chief public realm officer, calling sidewalk sheds "one of the singular unifying issues that has transcended politics, has transcended administrations, has transcended whatever kinds of divides and boundaries we all want to set up."

Proponents of the bills argue that reducing the number of sheds would improve pedestrian safety and aesthetics.