Wednesday, November 24 is a Gridlock Alert Day, one of the busiest traffic days of the year.
This holiday season don't let traffic leave you cold. Each year the New York City Department of Transportation and the MTA create a Holiday Traffic Mitigation Plan to help coordinate between various agencies to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible throughout the busy holiday season. You can do your part by taking mass transit whenever possible, especially on Gridlock Alert Days.
The remaining Gridlock Alert Days are:
* Tuesday, November 30
* Friday, December 10
* Wednesday, December 15
* Thursday, December 16
* Friday, December 17
* Wednesday, December 22
* Thursday, December 23
The Gridlock Alert Days calendar is available on the DOT Web site at
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2010_holiday_traffic_calendar.pdf .
Download the full Holiday Traffic Mitigation Plan at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2010_holiday_traffic_plan.pdf to learn more about special traffic changes, holiday ferry schedules, transit promotions and more.
A guide for the general public to transportation options to keep you moving quickly and safely is available on the DOT Web site at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/commutingoptions.shtml
Street closures
On Wednesday, November 24th, 77th and 81st Streets from Columbus Avenue to Central Park West will be closed beginning at 9:45 am. 77th to 81st Streets between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues will be closed beginning at 3 pm. The 79th Street Transverse will close to all vehicles except buses at 4 pm. 34th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues will close at 10 pm, as will Central Park West from 86th Street to 59th Street. After 10 pm, there will be no eastbound traffic from Columbus Avenue to Central Park West, and there will be no parking on Columbus Avenue or on Central Park West from 76th Street to 82nd Street
On Thursday, the following street closures will take place at 2 am: 59th Street from Columbus Circle to 5th Avenue; 6th Avenue, 7th Avenue, and Broadway from 34th Street to 42nd Street; 42nd to 34th Streets between 8th and 5th Avenues. The closure of 7th Avenue will extend to 47th Street beginning at 3 am and to 59th Street beginning at 5 am. Broadway from 58th Street to 47th Street will be closed beginning at 5 am. The 65th/66th Street Transverse Road will close at 7 am.
The parade starts at 9 am and ends at noon. The parade begins on Central Park West from 77th Street to Columbus Circle, then 59th Street from Columbus Circle to 7th Avenue, 7th Avenue from 59th Street to 42nd Street, 42nd Street from 7th Avenue to 6th Avenue, 6th Avenue from 42nd Street to 34th Street, and 34th Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue. There is no public viewing on 34th Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue.
All of the above roadways will be subject to closures between noon and 5 pm for restoration of the parade route. At approximately 5 pm all roadways will be open to traffic.