The North Upper Roadway of the Manhattan Bridge to Manhattan will be closed 11 p.m. Sunday night to 5 a.m. Monday morning with two lanes Manhattan-bound on the lower roadway during this time. While the Brooklyn Bridge is typically closed 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights in the Manhattan-bound direction, there will be no closure Sunday night while construction is ongoing at the Manhattan Bridge.
For residents near Dover St. between Pearl and South Sts. by the Brooklyn Bridge, the roadway will be closed 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. nightly (till 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday) through the end of August as construction crews remove debris and bring new materials to the Brooklyn Bridge construction site.
From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
I just started a new commute leaving the World Financial Center area after 4 p.m. everyday to head to New Jersey via the Holland Tunnel. I head up northbound West St. to Canal St., but it seems every day when I approach that intersection, I see a cop getting out of his car to close the right turn. I then have to go about three blocks north past Canal St. to Clarkson St., turn right, followed by another right onto Varick St. to reach the tunnel about 20 to 30 minutes later. Am I crazy? Do they close that turn at 4:10 p.m. everyday? Is there a better route once the right turn is banned?
Phil, World Financial Center
Dear Phil,
Question 1 answer: I think everyone who takes the Holland Tunnel from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. is crazy; they may not have started out that way but the Holland Tunnel will do it to the best of us. On Transit Sam’s list of top ten worst gridlocks in the city, the approaches to the Holland Tunnel rank NUMBER 1!
Q2. answer: The NYPD bans the right turn fairly often (but not necessarily every day or at the same time) from West St. to Canal St. The next right is Spring St. so I don’t know why you went all the way up to Clarkson St.
Q3 answer: I’d try to get over to Trinity Place/Church St. into Sixth Ave. to the Holland Tunnel. With the Hudson St. entrance closed and the right turn from West St. to Canal St. banned, Sixth Ave. is the better approach. But when it comes to the Holland tunnel, it’s like saying I prefer my poison in lemonade vs. straight-up.
If you’re south of World Financial Center (WFC), take Albany St. across West St. to Greenwich St., turn right, then left onto Rector St. and then left onto Trinity Place which becomes Church St. which runs into Sixth Ave. If you’re north of the WFC, take Warren St. to Church St. and turn left. Then stay left to Sixth Ave. and turn left onto Watts St. for access to the tunnel.
Transit Sam
Any questions on the President’s upcoming visits in September, navigating around lower Manhattan or you’ve received a parking ticket and need help? If so, send me an e-mail at TransitSam@downtownexpress.com or write to Transit Sam, 611 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, NY 10012
