There are many things affecting the quality of life in Manhattan. Aside from the lack of affordable housing, aside from the fact that the cost of living is so high that almost no one who works in the city can afford to live here, aside from the fact that there is still unnecessary piles of garbage on the streets, and on top of all of this, it is absolutely deafening to walk on the uneven pavements of the streets of Manhattan.
The constant tooting of horns, which once was illegal in the city of New York, the noises made by unnecessary racing of motors, and over acceleration by cars and trucks, the ridiculous sirens made by fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances, all contribute to the noise pollution that is deafening the city.
Any small distinctive tinkling sound made by a fire engine or ambulance should force traffic to pull aside and make space for these special vehicles. This is just common decency and is observed by every other city in the world.
Why do New Yorkers have to be hit with a sledge hammer in order to make way for an ambulance or fire engine? Cars revving their motors and drivers with their hands on the horns of their vehicles, trucks screeching along down the streets taking up half the space, all contributing to the noise pollution of the city.
In every other city of the world, trucks makes their deliveries in the off hours. In France and Paris it is illegal to toot your horn on any constant basis. People are respectful to the sound of an ambulance or fire engine and immediately move to the side to enable these vehicles to pass.
There is something about the constant construction in Manhattan that makes no sense. Beautiful old buildings are constantly being torn down to be replaced by ugly modern glass construction or left like garbage dumps for years on end. Meanwhile, the city has not concentrated on solving the affordable housing problem, so this endless construction is creating a double problem. Constantly obliterating light, intensifying traffic, and not doing anything to make it possible for people to be able to afford to live in Manhattan.
Manhattan is becoming an island of very wealthy people with no services as it becomes increasingly expensive for people to commute into New york for work.
Some consideration needs to be given to preserve life in the city, and once again to make it possible for young people, artists, and workers to live in the city. Otherwise, we will increasingly see an unlivable noisy city with fewer amenities, fewer workers, and many empty buildings only benefiting the contractors who build them.