Roadway Cafe — Maximum Length 40 ft, Maximum Width 8 ft, Emergency Travel Lane 15 ft

Per 34 RCNY §5-11(b), each roadway cafe (or each portion of a roadway cafe) may be at most 40 feet long parallel to the curb and at most 8 feet wide perpendicular to the curb. DOT may require a width less than 8 ft based on roadway geometry (lane width, bike-lane or parking-lane presence, intersection proximity). A 15-foot emergency travel lane must be maintained on the roadway at all times — DOT may permit less only with an FDNY letter of no objection. Cafes wider than 8 ft, longer than 40 ft, or pushed into the active travel lane are out of compliance.

• roadway cafe visibly longer than two adjacent parking spaces (~40 ft) without a break
• barrier-to-barrier width extending past the parking-lane stripe into the travel lane
• less than ~15 ft of clear travel lane between barrier and median or opposing parking lane
• cafe occupying more than the curb-to-parking-stripe envelope

1. Photograph trash, bags, or spill at the curb with building address visible.
2. Note time of day — set-out time violations require proof of early placement.
3. File at 311 under Dirty Conditions or Sanitation.
4. For commercial waste, note business name on signage if visible.

Official channel: portal.311.nyc.gov or dial 311. Agency: NYC DOT.

DSNY fines range from $50–$500+ for set-out time, containerization, and dirty-area violations. Repeat commercial offenders may face escalated penalties.

DSNY Sanitation Enforcement inspects and may issue Notices of Violation. Residential issues may be referred to property management; commercial routes get BIC oversight.

• What 311 does after you file