Seating

Public seating provides resting places that make New York City’s streets more comfortable for all New Yorkers, especially pedestrians and transit riders.

NYC DOT installs and maintains benches and leaning bars on sidewalks and plazas. The benches and leaning bars may be used by all NYC residents, workers, and visitors. With places to rest, people can take longer journeys, empowering bus riders, seniors, and people with disabilities. NYC DOT has permanently installed over 2,600 benches and leaning bars.

Seating Locations

Find a bench or leaning bar via NYC Open Data or view the map below.

Suggest a Location for Seating

We invite the public to suggest seating locations on the sidewalk or in plazas.

Priority seating locations include:
  • Bus stops without shelters
  • Subway stops and transit stations
  • Senior centers
  • Shopping districts
  • Libraries, schools, hospitals

Suggest a bench or leaning bar location

An older adult sits at a backed bench on a city sidewalk.
Backed Bench
A woman sits on a backless bench as an M T A bus drives by.
Backless Bench
Two people lean against a leaning bar at a bus stop.
Leaning Bar

Report a Seating Issue

NYC DOT maintains, repairs, and replaces damaged benches and leaning bars. Any NYC DOT bench or leaning bar found to be altered in any way will be considered vandalized and warrants a replacement. By law, adjacent property owners must remove debris and snow around benches and leaning bars.

Report a bench or leaning bar issue