Mott Street gift Shops Sidewalk displays
If navigating the sidewalks of Chinatown seem more difficult, that’s because it is.! In recent months gift shops have taken to using pedestrian space for displaying their wares.
Billboards and display racks clutter sidewalk along Mott Street
Along with the warmer weather comes increased tourism and tourists naturally will want to pick out a souvenir or two for friends and family. Local seniors have found it increasingly difficult to make their way down the street while tourists stop to look through sidewalk displays, sometimes forcing them to walk into the roadbeds. Wheelchair bound are forced to use traffic lanes when the 5-6′ clearance required by the NYC DOT is reduced to 3′ in places. Locals want the businesses to succeed but not at the expense of public safety.
Sidewalk displays along Mulberry Street
Sidewalks displays along Mulberry Street
Compounding the problem are the dozens of “counterfeit luxury goods” hawkers along, Canal, Mulberry, Hester and Mott Streets.