New York can’t seem to get enough of Presidential Gridlock! President Barack Obama is swooping into the Big Apple, Mon., June 4 to rake in dough for his 2012 presidential campaign. He’ll likely fly into JFK at 11 a.m., take his chopper to the Wall Street Heliport and by noon, his motorcade will head to the FDR Drive and make its way north. He is scheduled to exit at 42nd Street, so the FDR will be closed both ways that afternoon from 63rd Street to the Battery.
Obama will attend his first fundraiser of the day at the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets. Around 2 p.m., he’ll head north on the FDR Drive en route to his next stop, home of benefactor and hedge fund manager Marc Lasry.
Around 5 p.m., he’ll head to his final fundraiser of the day at the New Amsterdam Theatre, on West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, hosted by former president Bill Clinton. Obama is due to make an appearance there at 7 p.m.
The president’s motorcade will likely use the FDR Drive again to return to the Heliport at around 9 p.m.
Obama is scheduled to make an encore fundraising trip to NYC on June 14! Keep up to speed on gridlock at www.twitter.com/GridlockSam.
In non-presidential news, alternate side parking rules remain in effect.
Thurs., May 31, the American Heart Association’s Wall Street Run & Heart Walk closes the following streets from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
• Warren Street between Greenwich and Church Streets
• Church Street between Warren and Liberty Streets
• Liberty Street between Church and William Streets
• Pearl Street between Broad and John Streets
• Water Street between John and State Streets
• State Street between Water Street and Battery Place
Sun., June 3, is a bonanza of two-wheeling adventures! The A.D.A.’s Tour de Cure bike tour is going to impact traffic all over Manhattan. It starts at 6 a.m. on Pier 94 on West 54th Street and 12th Avenue, and tapers off at 6 p.m. in Washington Heights.
The following streets will be closed to traffic:
• West End Avenue between 59th and 72nd Streets
• Riverside Drive between 72nd and 165th Streets
• 165th Street between Riverside Drive and Fort Washington Avenue
• Fort Washington Avenue between 165th Street and Margaret Corbin Drive
• Harlem River Drive between 10th Avenue and 155th Street
• Saint Nicholas Avenue between 125th and 155th Streets
• Manhattan Avenue between 125th and 120th Streets
• York Avenue between 81st and 59th Streets
• Second Avenue between 55th and 9th Streets
• Ninth Street between Second and Sixth Avenues
• Sixth Avenue between Ninth and Christopher Streets
• Eighth Avenue between Hudson and 57th Streets
• Amsterdam Avenue between 59th and 91st Streets
• Riverside Drive between 91st and 72nd Streets
• West End Avenue between 72nd and 59th Streets
• 65th Street between West End Avenue and Central Park West
also Sun., June 3, the Philippine Independence Day Parade will shut down Madison Avenue between 38th and 23rd Streets, noon to 4 p.m., and the Lutheran Church Fair will close off Third Avenue between 14th and 23rd Streets, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
I know that there is a five-minute grace period for parking tickets. Does that mean I can park at 9:55 a.m. when Alternate Side Parking is in effect from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.? Thanks.
Isaac, from Williamsburg
Dear Isaac,
No. Here’s what the rule says: “Drivers will get a five-minute grace period past the expired time on muni-meter receipts, alternate side parking signs and any other parking spaces with specific times listed (e.g., 8:30am – 9:30am).” It doesn’t say anything about a grace period before the expiration of a parking rule. So, in the example that you give, you may park as late as 8:35 a.m.
Transit Sam
Got a question about parking regulations or upcoming construction? Email me at TransitSam@downtownexpress.com or write to Transit Sam, 611 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, NY 10012.
