Sneckdowns 3: There’s Snow Going Back

Varick and Carmine Streets. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/430443211057020928/photo/1##@BrooklynSpoke##
Varick and Carmine Streets. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/430443211057020928/photo/1##@BrooklynSpoke##

This week’s barrage of snow and ice has made sneckdown spotting an international pastime. We may never look at slush piles the same way again.

Here are some examples of nature’s traffic-calming from the past few days. Also, a shout-out to sneckdown spotters in Chicago, Cambridge, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Carrboro, and Edmunton. And in case you missed it, here’s a vintage shot courtesy of @BikeGirlNYC.

Fort Hamilton and E. 5th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Jesselansner/status/430752773920272385##@Jesselansner##
Fort Hamilton Parkway and E. 5th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Jesselansner/status/430752773920272385##@Jesselansner##

Queens Boulevard. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/belleoflonglake/status/430537527015919616##@@belleoflonglake##
Queens Boulevard. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/belleoflonglake/status/430537527015919616##@belleoflonglake##
Fourth Avenue. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/431081952708661248##@BrooklynSpoke##
Fourth Avenue. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/431081952708661248##@BrooklynSpoke##
Arthur Chi'en reporting. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Streetfilms/status/430545823995158528##@Streetfilms##
Arthur Chi’en reporting. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Streetfilms/status/430545823995158528##@Streetfilms##
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Arthur_Chien/status/431092122037813248##@Arthur_Chien##
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Arthur_Chien/status/431092122037813248##@Arthur_Chien##
  • KillMoto

    Gotta buy me a bunch of bags of quickcrete and white paint, before too much of this melts…

  • Clarence

    Jon Greeting’s work in Philadelphia is absolutely outstanding. I think we should start adding lines demarcating where the new curbs should be in our photos. How exciting! http://thisoldcity.com/advocacy/photos-what-snow-tells-us-about-creating-better-public-spaces-e-passyunk-avenue#.UvJsU3lH1lJ

  • Jim

    On my way into work today, I noticed a patch of untouched snow in the middle of an intersection, and thought of “sneckdown”. That snow was there as a result of plows missing it; I wouldn’t advise taking a 1 square foot piece of the intersection away. Some of the sneckdowns are the result of lazy plowing, and drivers _intentionally_ avoid it. I suppose your point is that there is no traffic calamity by the reduced space, but it’s not quite conclusive.

  • Jim, no one is saying there is a 1:1 correlation. These photos are meant to embolden those trying to make our streets safer and show evidence that cars don’t need all the asphalt we are giving them. But if you can show a sneckdown area that is 8 or 10 feet from the curb, chances are that you can probably give 3 or 4 feet of that space to curb extensions.

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