While New Yorkers and tourists “ooh” and “ahh” over the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, motorists in the area will be moaning and groaning.
If you thought the tree lighting wouldn’t impact traffic in the area, you were wrong. The ceremony, which begins at 7 p.m., is expected to draw thousands of spectators. As a security precaution, attendees will be asked to pass through security screening posts at 48th, 49th and 50th streets.
The following streets will be closed from 3 p.m. to the end of the tree lighting, according to the NYPD. Officers advise steering clear of the area until midnight.
48th to 51st streets between Avenue of the Americas and Madison Avenue
47th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
Starting Thursday, the following streets near the tree will remain closed on weekdays (5 p.m. to midnight) and weekends (1 p.m. to midnight) through Tuesday, Jan. 2.
49th Street between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas
50th Street between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas
