Attention motorists: It’s that time of year again, the General Assembly of the United Nations kicked off Sept. 17 and runs through Sept. 30.
As dignitaries from around the world converge on the city, various streets in midtown and on the east side will be closed to accommodate travel around the United Nations building, located at 405 E. 42nd St.
Each day will feel like a new puzzle for drivers in Manhattan. But don’t fret, here is your cheat sheet for avoiding the traffic nightmare.
Thursday
These streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles throughout the General Assembly:
- 42nd Street from First to Fifth avenues
- 57th Street from Second to Fifth avenues
- Second Avenue from 41st to 57th streets
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
- First Avenue from 42nd to 48th streets
- The tunnel underpass from 41st to 48th streets will remain open to passenger cars. Trucks and large vehicles will be prohibited until the end of each day’s UNGA session.
- 44th Street from First to Second avenues
- 45th Street from First to Second avenues
- 46th Street from First to Second avenues
These streets will be closed to vehicle traffic starting at 5 a.m.:
- 42nd Street from the FDR Drive to Second Avenue
- Exit and entrance ramps of the FDR Drive at 42nd Street
- Note: These areas will reopen each evening after the end of each day’s UNGA session.
FDR Drive will be subject to intermittent closures by the NYPD:
- Southbound at 63rd Street
- Northbound at South Ferry
Access to the following streets will be managed by the NYPD and no parking will be permitted:
- Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place
- First Place from Battery Place to Little West Street
- Little West Street from Battery Place to Second Place
- 50th Street from Park to Madison avenues
- 51st Street from Park to Madison avenues
- 54th Street from Sixth to Seventh avenues
- 55th Street from Madison to Fifth avenues
- 55th Street from Fifth to Sixth avenues
- 56th Street from Fifth to Sixth avenues
- 58th Street from Park to Madison avenues
Friday
These streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles throughout the General Assembly:
- 42nd Street from First to Fifth avenues
- 57th Street from Second to Fifth avenues
- Second Avenue from 41st to 57th streets
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
- First Avenue from 42nd to 48th streets
- The tunnel underpass from 41st to 48th streets will remain open to passenger cars. Trucks and large vehicles will be prohibited until the end of each day’s UNGA session.
- 44th Street from First to Second avenues
- 45th Street from First to Second avenues
- 46th Street from First to Second avenues
These streets will be closed to vehicle traffic starting at 5 a.m.:
- 42nd Street from the FDR Drive to Second Avenue
- Exit and entrance ramps of the FDR Drive at 42nd Street
- Note: These areas will reopen each evening after the end of each day’s UNGA session.
Access to the following streets will be managed by the NYPD and no parking will be permitted:
- Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place
- First Place from Battery Place to Little West Street
- Little West Street from Battery Place to Second Place
- 50th Street from Park to Madison avenues
- 51st Street from Park to Madison avenues
- 54th Street from Sixth to Seventh avenues
- 55th Street from Madison to Fifth avenues
- 55th Street from Fifth to Sixth avenues
- 56th Street from Fifth to Sixth avenues
- 58th Street from Park to Madison avenues
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