Dear Transit Sam,
I am new to the neighborhood and live on Laight Street. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of cars and buses that come from the Holland Tunnel and head to West Street. I’ve also noticed a sign that restricts right turns onto Hudson Street from the tunnel at Beach Street, and I was wondering what the reasoning was behind the restriction. Is it temporary because of the construction occurring on Hudson Street, or has it always been there?
Neil, Laight Street
Dear Neil,
Welcome to Lower Manhattan and the many construction jobs that come with it! The “no right turn” restriction you’re referring to is temporary (if you consider five years to be temporary!) and has been in place since late winter/early spring to complete the water main connections from the water tunnel shaft that’s located within the tunnel exit circle. The restriction is intended to prevent further backups into the Holland Tunnel since one to two lanes are closed on Hudson Street between Franklin and Laight Streets and the Hudson/Beach Street location is almost smack in the middle. So what you might also be seeing are more drivers choosing to take Exit 1 to Laight Street, turning right onto Washington Street, another right onto Vestry Street and left, back onto Hudson Street.
Transit Sam
