Traffic Tie-Ups Expected As UN General Assembly Approaches

By: Nicole Ward

To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

Leaders from around the world are descending on the city for the U.N. General Assembly this week, and that could mean big traffic headaches for drivers.

Large areas on the East Side and in Midtown will be subject to closure by the police. They include the area between First and Second Avenues from 34th Street to 57th Street and some streets in the 50s on the west side.

Security will be tight around the U.N., where world leaders are set to begin a two-day meeting on diseases like cancer and diabetes tomorrow.

President Barack Obama is set to address the General Assembly on Wednesday.

Those living on Manhattan's East Side Sunday seemed to have their coping mechanisms in place.

"I'm in and out on the subway and once I sort of get out of this little area, then it's fine," said one New Yorker.

"I'm gonna make sure we don't drive. My friend's got a car. He's the lucky man," said another.

Other leaders expected to attend this week are Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who plans to push his bid for statehood, and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Affected Locations

• Area bounded by East 60th Street on the North, East 34th Street on the South,1st Avenue on the East, 3rd Avenue on the West, all inclusive

• Area bounded by East 51st Street on the North and East 48th Street on the South; 1st Avenue on the East and Madison Avenue on the West, all inclusive

• 34th, 42nd, 50th and 57th Streets between FDR Drive and 7th Avenue

• 5th and 6th Avenues between 42nd and 40th Street

• 40th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue

• 53rd Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue

• 52nd Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue

• 55th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue

• 51st, 54th and 56th Streets between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue

FDR Drive Embargo: Starting 12:01AM Monday, September 19th through 10:00PM, Friday, September 23: FDR Drive between Whitehall Street and Willis Avenue Bridge/RFK Bridge.