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Once again, over 200 world leaders are gathering in Midtown East this week to discuss major issues affecting humanity, describe grand visions for the future on an international stage and seriously fuck up your commute.
As dignitaries across the globe gather for the 73rd Session of the General Assembly, the city has announced a series of Gridlock Alert Days that are in effect now through Friday, with most of the streets near the United Nations closed for traffic. (Gridlock Alert Days, of course, being New York’s lesser known and far most despised holiday season.)
First Avenue will be completely closed to traffic between 42nd Street to 48th Street through the end of the week with 44th, 45th and 46th Streets closed between First and Second Avenues. Bike lanes on First and Second Avenues near the UN will also be closed.
In addition to those week-long closures, you can expect intermittent closures of streets across midtown this week as more than 100 diplomatic motorcades a day bop around town. FDR Drive will occasionally be closing southbound at 63rd Street and northbound at South Ferry. Basically, if you can figure out any way not to get around by car in midtown this week, you should do that.
Along with traffic changes, New Yorkers can expect to see an increased police presence including 48 sand trucks, 230 pieces of concrete blocks and other forms of security barriers. Police are also currently monitoring the area around Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue where protests are expected to be taking place throughout.