ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE SUSPENDED ON TUES., OCT. 9 FOR SIMCHAT TORAH, THE JEWISH HOLIDAY. NO PARKING AT METER, NO-STOPPING AND NO-STANDING SIGNS ARE STILL IN EFFECT.
Drivers, getting home may be a little more difficult for two upcoming 54-hour weekend spans. All Manhattan-bound lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge will be closing at midnight on Fri., Oct. 5 to 6 a.m. Mon., Oct. 8; the same goes for Fri., Oct. 12 to Mon., Oct. 15. Those headed to Manhattan should take the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge or the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.
Glass installation on 180 Broadway means John Street will be completely closed between Broadway and Nassau Streets from Wed., Oct. 3 to Fri., Oct. 12, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
In Tribeca, there will be street closures due to usual road construction:
• On West Street/Route 9A, one right, northbound lane will be closed between Vestry and Canal Streets from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 3.
• Two northbound lanes are closed between West Thames and Vesey Streets overnight (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) on Wed., Oct. 3 through Fri., Oct. 5; 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Sat., Oct. 6 and midnight to 9 a.m. on Sun., Oct. 7.
• Two southbound lanes are closed on West Street/Route 9A between West Thames and Vesey Streets from midnight to 5 a.m. Wed., Oct. 3 through Fri., Oct. 5; 1 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sat., Oct. 6; and midnight to 11 a.m. on Sun., Oct. 7.
• Two northbound lanes are closed between Vesey and Chamber Streets overnight (from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) Wed., Oct. 3 through Fri., Oct. 5; midnight to noon and 10 p.m. to midnight on Sat., Oct. 6; and midnight to 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. to noon on Sun., Oct. 7.
• Two southbound lanes between Vesey and Chamber Streets are closed overnight (from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) Wed., Oct. 3 through Fri., Oct. 5; midnight to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight on Sat., Oct. 6; and 1 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight on Sun., Oct. 7.
From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
Buses and trucks that come down Laight Street, where I live, rattle the buildings when they drive quickly. The buses often idle and make the street dangerous for children and pedestrians who try to cross the street. Laight Street has become residential, and the street can’t handle the traffic. I have written to the city Transportation Department several times but have not heard back. I hope you can find the answer for me.
Neil
Dear Neil,
I’m surprised you haven’t heard from the Department of Transportation, so I have forwarded your letter to officials there. The D.O.T. has indicated to me that Laight Street doesn’t have a high automobile crash history. So, if you are hoping for changes, you will need to enlist Community Board 1 and your City Council Member Margaret Chin to prove that a change is warranted. The D.O.T. has lowered speed limits after receiving input from local communities around the city, so you may want to suggest that. Currently, the speed limit on Laight Street is 30 miles per hour; you may want to ask for a 20 mile-per-hour zone, instead.
Transit Sam
Need driving tips or help navigating around Lower Manhattan? If so, please send me an e-mail to TransitSam@downtownexpress.com or write to Transit Sam, 611 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, N.Y. 10012. Follow me at www.twitter.com/GridlockSam.
