Dates: Thurs., May 26 – Wed., June 1
SUNDAY RULES IN EFFECT MONDAY FOR MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day weekend is finally here! This means lower Manhattan will see monster traffic jams at area bridges and tunnels on Thursday and Friday. The Holland Tunnel will be hit hardest at the approaches from Canal, Varick, and Broome Sts. The Broome St. back-up, around 4 p.m. both Thursday and Friday, may extend all the way to Lafayette St. Thursday is the new Friday, so don’t think you can beat the crowd by leaving a day early either. The best time to travel will be after 9 p.m. Friday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @GridlockSam and check the website www.GridlockSam.com for Memorial Day weekend travel tips.
For the return trip on Monday a lot depends on the weather. An overcast or rainy day spreads out the traffic. A warm sunny day means people will leave later hitting the city in a compacted period from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On Monday – Memorial Day – alternate side parking rules are suspended, and meter parking rules are as well. Signs that say “No parking” or “No standing” on certain weekdays, in this case Monday, are also suspended. Signs with the word “anytime” are still in effect.
In the Lincoln Tunnel, the New York-bound south tube will close from 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday. During the same time in the Holland Tunnel, one New York-bound lane will close from 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday.
In the Battery Park Underpass, one tube will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday nights, and from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Festivals and races continue this week in lower Manhattan:
The Brooklyn Bridge Memorial Dash from 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday will close Centre St. between Worth and Duane Sts. leading up to the Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway.
The Chabad of Wall Street Community Fair from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday will close Liberty St. between Broadway and Trinity Pl.
Global Running Day 1 Mile Run will cause slowdowns on Chambers St. between Centre St. and Broadway from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Medal Day event will slow traffic from midnight to noon on Wednesday on the perimeter of City Hall Park: Broadway between Reade and Ann Sts., Park Row between Broadway and Centre St., Centre St. between Park Row and Chambers St., Chambers St. between Centre St. and Broadway, as well as Spruce St. between Park Row and Gold St.
A Liberty Corporate Event will cause slowdowns from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday on Broadway between Morris St. and Battery Pl.
