ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING IS IN EFFECT ALL WEEK
The Tribeca Film Festival starts Wednesday, April 17 and runs through April 28. Watch out for extra traffic at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center on the east side of West St. between Chambers and Harrison Sts.; at Tribeca Cinemas on Varick St. at Laight St.; and at Conrad New York on North End Ave. between Vesey St. and River Terrace. I suspect security will be tighter than normal, so be prepared to wait.
The Downtown Independent Democrats Festival will close Lafayette St. between Canal and Leonard Sts. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sun., April 21.
The 9/11 Memorial Family Day will close Vesey St. between Church St. and Broadway 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sun., April 21.
The Greenwich Avenue Festival will close Greenwich Ave. between Sixth and Seventh Aves. from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sat., April 20.
At the Battery Park Underpass, one lane of the north tube and the entire south tube will close overnight 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday, and 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.
No trains at N, Q or R stations in Manhattan 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday through Friday. Q trains will run over the D line in Manhattan.
All Manhattan-bound lanes of the Lincoln Tunnel ‘helix’ (the spiral approach road to the tunnel) will close 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday. This will send drivers down to the Holland Tunnel and onto the streets of Lower Manhattan.
Crane operations will close Washington St. between Albany and J.P. Ward Sts., Rector St. between West and Greenwich Sts., and the intersection of Washington and Rector Sts. from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Chambers St. will fully close between West Broadway and Greenwich St. from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
Collister St. will close between Hubert and Laight Sts. from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through mid-June. For northbound access, take Hudson St.
Both the Knicks and the Nets made the playoffs. Expect more traffic on West St., Canal St. and the Manhattan Bridge (especially with closures at the Brooklyn Bridge since all Manhattan-bound lanes of the bridge will close 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday nights, 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday, 12:01 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday, and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday and Tuesday nights).
For updates on how the playoffs will affect traffic, follow me on Twitter @gridlocksam.
From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
I received a ticket for ‘no seat belt on child.’ My son sat in the middle in a booster seat with a lap belt on. I explained to the officer, if I get side impact from either side, it’ll lessen the blow with him seated in the middle. He said the child should have a shoulder belt on. My son is 4’ 7”, 57 lbs, 10 years old. Do I have a chance of this being dismissed?
Pat, Queens
Dear Pat,
I don’t think so. While New York State’s Occupant Restraint law requires children under 8 years of age to sit in booster seats, your 10-year-old meets the legal criteria for being recommended to be in a booster seat (under 4’9” tall or under 100 lbs). The law specifies that a booster seat has to be used with a lap and shoulder safety belt together. The law also specifies that as a back seat passenger under the age of 16, your 10-year-old child is required to be restrained by a safety belt that is approved by the commissioner, ie. a combination shoulder harness and lap safety belt. The only exception for using a lap safety belt alone is when a vehicle is not equipped with combination lap safety and shoulder harness belt or all the combination lap safety and shoulder harness belts are being used to properly restrain other passengers who are under the age of sixteen.
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.
