U.N. General Assembly To Snarl NYC Traffic: What To Know

NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers should brace for a week of gridlock, rolling street closures and transit disruptions as world leaders arrive in Manhattan for the United Nations General Assembly.

The city issued a Gridlock Alert for Monday, Sept. 21, through Friday, Sept. 25, when hundreds of motorcades will carry heads of state, foreign ministers and other dignitaries among the U.N., hotels, meetings and events.

"I want to encourage everyone traveling in Manhattan to use public transportation wherever possible and to allow for extra travel time,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

The biggest traffic disruptions will be near the U.N. headquarters in Midtown East, although officials warned that rolling vehicle and pedestrian closures could occur across Manhattan as delegations travel around the city.

The following restrictions will be in place near the U.N. from Sunday, Sept. 20, through Saturday, Sept. 26:

• First Avenue will be closed from East 41st to East 48th streets.
• East 44th through East 47th streets will be closed between First and Second avenues.
• East 42nd Street will be closed between First and Second avenues each day while meetings are underway, until about 9 p.m.
• The East 42nd Street exit from the FDR Drive will be closed while the General Assembly is in session.

Passenger vehicles and bicycles will still be able to use the First Avenue Tunnel to travel north through the area, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Vehicles that need to reach Tudor City can enter through East 41st and East 43rd streets.

Drivers should also expect temporary closures along portions of the FDR Drive, as well as rolling and intermittent street closures as motorcades move among venues. Officials warned that Midtown and the Upper East Side could see widespread delays.

Ferry service may also be disrupted, while waterway restrictions will be enforced along portions of the East River near the U.N.

The city expects a surge of dignitaries to arrive Sunday, Sept. 20. The General Assembly’s high-level debate begins Tuesday, Sept. 22, and continues through Monday, Sept. 28.

Multiple demonstrations are also expected every day during the gathering, Tisch said. Security zones around the U.N. will restrict access for both vehicles and pedestrians.

Thousands of officers will be deployed around U.N. headquarters and at events across the city. Officials said there were no known specific or credible threats against the gathering or New York City as of Thursday.

New Yorkers traveling through Manhattan should take public transportation whenever possible and leave extra time, officials said.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.