Dates: Thurs., March 10 – Wed., March 16
ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE IN EFFECT ALL WEEK
NJ Transit workers in the rail division may walk off the job Sunday morning. What this could mean for Lower Manhattan is heavier traffic to and from the Holland Tunnel, more buses on streets and a likely diversion of some traffic through Staten Island en-route to Lower Manhattan crossing most notably the Battery Tunnel. Follow me on Twitter @GridlockSam and the website www.GridlockSam.com for strike tips, closure info, protest alerts, and more.
Daylight savings time kicks in 2 a.m. Sunday! This means that Monday morning will be a Crash Alert Day: when we lose an hour drivers battle collective sleep deprivation, making roads more dangerous. Crash and fatality rates increase the week after daylight savings time takes effect, so make sure you’re fully awake (two cups of coffee have been shown to help) before hitting the road, and be extra alert.
Signs of warmer days to come in Lower Manhattan are here: the Stone Street Pedestrian Mall returns Friday. Stone St. between Hanover Sq. and Broad St., and Mill Ln. between Stone and South William Sts. will close 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day starting Friday.
In the Battery Park Underpass, there will be a full closure of the south tube from the FDR to West St. 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each weekday night. Use the detour by going south on West St., left onto Battery Pl., continuing onto State St., and going one block north on Water St., then right onto Broad St. The North and South tubes will fully close in both directions from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. each week day night. For the North tube detour, exit onto South St., continue on to Whitehall St., turn left onto State St. to Battery Pl., and then turn left onto Battery Pl. to West St.
A slow return to Manhattan on Thursday night: In the Lincoln Tunnel, the New York-bound tube will close 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday. Traffic will be maintained in both directions in the remaining tube. The closure will drive more traffic down to the Holland Tunnel, where during the same time, one New-York bound tunnel lane and one New Jersey-bound lane will close. Expect late night delays and extra traffic on Canal and Varick Sts.
In the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, one tube will close Monday through Friday nights 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. One tube will also close 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday. During the closure, two lanes of traffic will remain in the open tube.
Be sure to check next week’s column for details on the St. Patrick’s Day Parade’s domino effects for Lower Manhattan.
