ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING IS IN EFFECT ALL WEEK
Lunar New Year events continue in Lower Manhattan: a festival will fully close Market St. between East Broadway and Henry St. all day Sunday.
On the Brooklyn Bridge, all Manhattan-bound lanes will close overnight 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday, and 12:01 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday. Expect heavier traffic in Downtown Brooklyn and on the Manhattan Bridge, especially after the Nets play the Rockets 7:30 p.m. Friday and the Grizzlies 7 p.m. Sunday.
At the Lincoln Tunnel, all lanes of the Manhattan-bound ‘helix’ (the spiral approach road to the tunnel) will close overnight 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday. One New Jersey-bound lane will close Wednesday 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday. This will send traffic to the Holland Tunnel where one lane in each direction will close overnight 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Lucky for Hudson-crossers, games at the Garden fall on off-nights this week: the Knicks play the 76ers at 7 p.m. Sunday and the Rangers play the Jets at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
For more bridge and tunnel news, follow me on Twitter @gridlocksam.
In transit news, crossing Midtown will be tougher with no 7 train service between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square-42nd St. from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Take the E, N, F or Q instead.
On West St./Route 9A, one lane will close in each direction between West Thames and Vesey Sts. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Ann St. will close between 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Eastbound drivers should use Spruce, John or Liberty Sts. instead.
Gouverneur Lane will fully close between Front and South Sts. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. This closure will reoccur each weekend through Sunday, March 24.
Ongoing utility work on Chambers St. means that it runs one-way westbound between Greenwich St. and Broadway. Eastbound M22 buses are rerouted to Warren St.
Ticketed on President’s Day because of confusion about parking rules? Order Transit Sam’s 2013 Parking Calendar (www.gridlocksam.com) and fret no more!
From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
Suppose a muni meter is broken: is a driver obligated to find a muni meter across the street or on an adjacent block to purchase a ticket to park? Or is the driver allowed to park up to the allotted time for free? This, to me, is a big drawback to the new system, as opposed to the single meter. But times have changed. Please advise.
Paul, Brooklyn
Dear Paul,
Yes, if a muni meter is broken, you should buy your ticket at a nearby meter and report the broken one to 311. With the old single meter system, you used to be able to park for free for an hour at a broken meter, and for the length of time on the posted sign at a missing meter. The new system of metered parking doesn’t give away any freebies!
Transit Sam
Questions about parking or traffic? Email me at transitsam@downtownexpress.com.
