Pope 2015 US Visit: If You're Going From the Hudson Valley

PHOTO: Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. Image by Edgar Jiménez from Porto, Portugal. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

New York City expects many, many visitors during Pope Francis’ visit to New York this week, and getting there and getting around will take planning.

Here’s all you need to know about the extra service offered by the MTA and the Port Authority for Metro-North, subways and buses to coincide with the papal events. Here, also, is the daily list of street closures from the NYPD. Warning: it’s long. We’ve included the Pope’s itinerary for you too.

And so you can keep up on social media, here are links from the Archdiocese:

• #PopeFrancisNYC
• https://www.facebook.com/archnewyork
• https://twitter.com/NY_Arch
• https://instagram.com/archnewyork/

“We are proud to host Pope Francis here in New York, and we are working to expand mass transit options to ensure that everyone can travel safely and securely during this time,” New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said in a prepared statement. “I encourage anyone planning to be in New York City at that time to plan ahead and check the new travel schedules.”

Pope Francis will arrive in New York on Thursday, and will have a full schedule of events across the city on Friday, including afternoon Mass at Madison Square Garden. Access to the Pope’s events is strictly limited to ticket-holders, and those without tickets are advised to avoid the locations the Pope is visiting. People who can avoid traveling into Manhattan on those days should do so, since many street closures near those locations will result in traffic congestion and pedestrian diversions.

Customers taking the New York City Subway and or Metro-North Railroad for papal events should buy round-trip MetroCards or train tickets in advance and expect some crowding.

“Pope Francis’ visit to New York is a significant honor for everyone in our service area, and we are prepared to accommodate additional customers traveling to his events along with our 8.6 million average weekday customers,” said MTA Chairman Thomas F. Prendergast. “While some schedules and routes may change, we are ready to get everyone where they need to go during this special time.”

“The Port Authority is partnering with Governor Cuomo and state agencies on planning, coordinating and providing additional transportation services to serve those traveling for the Pope’s visit,” said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. “This is another example of the continued cooperation between the region’s transportation agencies to minimize disruptions for customers as much as possible during major events.”

For example, Penn Station will remain open during the Papal Mass at Madison Square Garden, which is directly above the station, but some individual staircases may be closed at times for security reasons or to manage crowd conditions.

The MTA Police Department and the Port Authority Police Department will increase deployments during Pope Francis’ time in New York to ensure the safety and security of all customers. They will conduct additional inspections, deploy specialized units, and work in concert with the Secret Service, the New York Police Department and other agencies to protect their transportation networks.

Prior to the Pope’s visit, travelers are encouraged to sign up for text and email alerts to stay immediately informed about changing transit and traffic conditions. MTA alerts are available at www.mymtaalerts.com and Port Authority alerts at www.paalerts.com.

Metro-North Railroad service

MTA Metro-North Railroad will have additional trains and crews stationed in Grand Central Terminal as well as strategic outlying locations to be dispatched as necessary to provide additional capacity.

Metro-North will run a normal schedule on Thursday, Sept. 24. On Friday, Sept. 25, the railroad will operate three additional inbound trains, leaving Poughkeepsie on the Hudson Line at 10:37 a.m.; leaving Southeast on the Harlem Line at 10:08 a.m.; and leaving Fairfield Metro on the New Haven Line at 11:00 a.m. Some earlier trains will be combined and canceled to provide crews and equipment for those trains; details on those service changes will be available at www.mta.info/mnr.

New York City Subway service

The MTA New York City Subway system carries up to 6 million people on an average weekday, and will be able to accommodate additional customers attending papal events. Subway managers will be prepared to adjust train operations as necessary based on conditions in stations near those events. Additional customer service personnel will be on duty in subway stations near papal events to assist customers as they enter and leave the system.

New York City Bus service

The MTA New York City Bus system is planning significant service changes to bus routes that operate near the locations of papal events, in order to accommodate street closures and pedestrian restrictions. Those service changes will be posted at www.mta.info/nyct as they are finalized based on consultation with other transportation and security agencies. Customers should expect delays and changes to their customary routes, and may wish to consider using subway service as an alternative if possible.

Port Authority Bus Terminal

The Port Authority is working closely with NJ Transit and other bus carriers to accommodate any increase in bus demand that may occur during the papal visit, and will be prepared to handle additional bus traffic at the Port Authority Bus Terminal or George Washington Bridge Bus Station. Bus travelers are urged to check with their carriers prior to September 25 about the status of service to and from the terminal.

Bridges and Tunnels

The Port Authority’s Hudson River crossings and MTA Bridges and Tunnels’ nine New York City crossings will be fully staffed with toll collectors and a robust law enforcement presence to ensure a safe commute for those who choose to drive during the Pope’s visit. The Port Authority and the MTA are working with Transcom and the region’s law enforcement and transportation agencies, including NJ Transit, the city and state Transportation Departments, and the New York City Police Department to ensure travelers are aware of traffic and transit conditions in Manhattan on Sept. 25.

Streets closed

The New York Police Department has issued a list of street closures:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th, 2015

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• 50th Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 51st Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 3 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until 6 a.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 50th Street from 5th Ave. to 6th Avenue (will remained closed until approx. 9 p.m.)
• 51st Street from 5th Ave. to 6th Avenue (will remained closed until approx. 9 p.m.)
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 6 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be re-opened to vehicular traffic until 10 a.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
Please note: Crosstown traffic will be reduced to one lane of traffic

Beginning at approximately 10 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 50th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 51st Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 2 p.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• Madison Avenue from 47th Street to 57th Street

On Thursday the FDR DRIVE will be subject to intermittent closures:
• Southbound at 63rd Street
• Northbound at South Ferry

Beginning at approximately 8 a.m. the following street in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until Saturday, September 26th at approximately
10 a.m.:
• 72nd Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 3 p.m. the following street in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until Saturday, September 26th at approximately
10 a.m.:
• 71st Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 74th Street while Pope Francis is in residence

Additional intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence include:
• 5th Avenue to from 74th Street to 71st Street
• 70th Street from Park Avenue to 5th Avenue
• 71st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue
• 72nd Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue
• 73rd Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 73rd Street -two western lanes closed

Beginning at approximately 10 p.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 6 a.m.:
• 71st Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 72nd Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 73rd Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• Madison Ave. from 70th Street to 73rd Street

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 5th Ave. from 74th Street to 71st Street
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 74th Street


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th, 2015

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to vehicular traffic:
• 1st Avenue from 42nd Street to 48th Street. The tunnel underpass from 41st Street to 48th Street will remain open for passenger cars. Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access until the end of the day’s session.
• 43rd Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 44th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 45th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 46th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

The following will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at approximately 5:00 a.m.:
• 42nd Street from the FDR Drive to 2nd Avenue
• 42nd Street Exit and Entrance Ramps of the FDR Drive
Please note: These areas will reopen each evening after the day’s session.

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 1 p.m.:
• Liberty Street from Trinity Place to Greenwich Street
• Cedar Street from Trinity Place to Greenwich Street

Beginning at approximately 11 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 1 p.m.:
• North bound on West Street from Battery Place to Murray Street

Additional intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial includes:
• South bound on West Street from Chambers Street to Albany Street

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• South bound on West Street from Chambers Street to Albany Street

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the Our Lady Queen of Angels School will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 6 p.m.:
• 112th Street from 2nd Avenue to 3rd Avenue
• 113th Street Cul-de-sac

Please note: Starting at approximately 3 p.m. trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 2nd Avenue between 106th Street to 116th Street
• 3rd Avenue between 106th Street to 116th Street

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of Central Park will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 7 p.m.:
• Central Park West between Columbus Circle and West 81st Street
• W 61st Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 62nd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 64th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 65th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 66th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 67th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 69th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 70th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 73rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 75th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of Madison Square Garden will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately midnight:
• 31st Street from 7th Avenue to 9th Avenue
• 33rd Street from 7th Avenue to 9th Avenue

Beginning at approximately noon the following streets in the vicinity of Madison Square Garden will have intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic
• 31st Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue - managed access
• 32nd Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue- managed access
• 33rd Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue- managed access
• 7th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street - two western lanes closed
• 8th Avenue from 31st Street to 33rd Street - one lane only/intermittent closures

Please note: Starting at approximately noon trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 7th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street
• 8th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th, 2015

The FDR DRIVE will be subject to intermittent closures:
• Southbound at 63rd Street
• Northbound at South Ferry


Please note: For all days additional closings may occur at the discretion of the police department.

That will have given you an idea of the Pope’s schedule. But here is the list of events:

Pope Francis New York City Itinerary

• 5 p.m: He arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport
• 6:45 p.m: Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (open only to the Clergy of St. Patrick’s Cathedral)
  

Friday, Sept. 25

• 8:30 am: Visit to the United Nations and Address to the United Nations General Assembly (open only to UN officials)
• 11:30 am: Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center (ticket lottery closed)
• 4 p.m: Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem (open only to a select group of students and administrators from four Catholic schools in New York, and a gym full of Catholic Charities representatives)
• Procession through Central Park to follow visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School
• 6 p.m: Mass at Madison Square Garden (tickets reportedly very limited and not sold to the public; contact your own diocesan chancery office for more information)
  

Saturday, Sept. 26

• 8:40 a.m: Departure John F. Kennedy International Airport