Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Traffic Calming

Get Up and #Sneckdown

Inwood sneckdown, December 2016. Photo: Brad Aaron

With nine inches of snow in Central Park as of this afternoon, NYC is in for some serious sneckdown action.

In case this is your first time -- sneckdowns are "snowy neckdowns" formed as motorists drive through melting snow and slush, revealing where asphalt could be repurposed for street improvements to slow motor vehicle traffic and make walking safer.

The sneckdown concept has a storied legacy. In 2006, Streetfilms’ Clarence Eckerson Jr. noted “naturally occurring neckdowns” after a record snowstorm in NYC. Things really took off after Streetsblog founding editor Aaron Naparstek came up with the #sneckdown hashtag in 2013.

The next few days will be prime time. To share your finds, use the #sneckdown hashtag on social media (see Clarence's tips on page 3 of this PDF to make the most of the experience). If you’d like Streetsblog to publish your pics, wherever you are, include a location in your tweet or Instagram.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Wednesday’s Headlines: Slow ‘Em Down Edition

Here's one day when it's OK for reporters to drive a car! (OK, not just any car.) Plus other news.

November 12, 2025

West Village Pol Demands DOT Act after Fatal Pedestrian Crash

Erik Bottcher has demanded that the city review the design of the West Village intersection where a cargo van driver killed a pedestrian earlier this month.

November 12, 2025

Opinion: Free Buses Can’t Come at Paratransit Riders’ Expense

Critically missing from the discourse on free buses are the implications a fare-free system would have for the MTA’s Access-A-Ride.

November 12, 2025

Drivers Run Red Light, But Cops Ticket Cyclists at Dangerous Delancey Intersection

Drivers are zooming onto and off the Williamsburg Bridge in Lower Manhattan by running red lights. But cops are targeting cyclists instead.

November 11, 2025

Two More Staffers Join the Growing Streetsblog Newsroom!

Meet Austin C. Jefferson and J.K. Trotter! And read about our big plans for local news.

November 11, 2025
See all posts