New York City’s crumbling sidewalks have been laid bare in a viral TikTok.
Social media personality Casey Neistat shared a clip as he presses his foot down on a section of cracked city pavement.
Within seconds, the concrete gives way to expose a gaping hole and rusted underground piping.
“Gotta watch out on New York City sidewalks,” a caption reads on the TikTok, which racked up more than 20 million views within 24 hours.
Mr Neistat, 42, illustrates the depth of the hazard by putting his arm into the hole.
His clip struck a nerve among New Yorkers, receiving more than 26,000 comments as reactions ranged from shock to grim humour about the city’s soaring rental prices.
“Don’t let NYC landlords see this. They’ll be advertising a 1 bed studio with a skylight for $3k/mo,” one commenter wrote.
Others suggested he could have fallen in and sued the city for damages.
The clip appears to have been filmed on Broadway in Tribeca, one of Manhattan’s chicest neighbourhoods.
New York’s Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for ensuring the city’s 12 million miles of sidewalk are safe. It relies on property owners to maintain sidewalks beside their property, including carrying out repairs and clearing snow and ice.
The department confirmed to the New York Post that the viral TikTok was legit, and said it had issued the property owner responsible for its maintenance a violation notice.
V-logger Casey Neistat’s TikTok showing a crumbling New York City sidewalk has racked up 20 million views— (TikTok / Casey Neistat)
The area around the hole has been barricaded for pedestrian safety, it said.
The Independent has contacted the DOT for more information.
Mr Neistat has more than 15 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, X and Instagram, where his videos capturing daily life in New York City often attract millions of views.
Over a trailblazing 20-year career, Mr Niestat has filmed viral videos that show when to use the emergency brake cord on the New York Subway, captured himself snowboarding on snow-filled streets, and criticised the NYPD for ticketing cyclists who ride outside of bike lanes.
