The FIFA World Cup soccer tournament is set to kick off next week, and New York Governor Hochu and Mayor Mamdani jointly announced the traffic evacuation plan during the event. They declared that the 8 match days in the New York stadium area will be designated as “Gridlock Alert Days,” during which extensive road control, freight restrictions, and crowd management measures will be implemented in midtown Manhattan to accommodate the influx of hundreds of thousands of fans.
Mayor Mamdani stated, “Do not drive into Manhattan during the World Cup.” He urged the public to use subways, buses, bicycles, or walk instead. The 8 match days for the World Cup are: 6/13, 6/16, 6/22, 6/25, 6/27, 6/30, 7/5, 7/19.
According to the city’s proposed plan, during each match day, from 6 hours before the start of the game to 3 hours after, dedicated buses and shuttle lanes for the World Cup will be set up on Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan from 42nd Street to 59th Street. Traffic control will be enforced on 42nd Street across Manhattan, allowing only designated shuttle buses, MTA buses, official vehicles, and emergency vehicles to pass.
Certain sections of West 40th Street and West 41st Street near the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) will be designated as shuttle bus parking areas, prohibiting regular vehicles from entering.
To accommodate fans queuing and security checks for those heading to the New Jersey stadium, sections of West 32nd Street and West 33rd Street near the Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan will be closed to traffic for at least 6 hours on match days, becoming pedestrian-only zones.
During match days, large truck deliveries will be restricted between 30th Street and 60th Street in Manhattan, beginning 6 hours before the start of the game and lasting 3 hours after to reduce traffic congestion.
Janno Lieber, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), stated that to cope with the World Cup influx, the MTA will increase subway service on the 1, C, and 7 lines during match days. The 1 and C lines will directly serve passengers heading to the Penn Station in Manhattan, while the 7 line will handle transportation for people traveling to and from the Queens Fan Fest.
As the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens will have a large free viewing area and some match days coincide with New York Mets’ home games, Governor Hochu mentioned that the frequency of the 7 line will be adjusted according to crowd demands to avoid overcrowding.
Lieber pointed out that during the World Cup, designated waiting and queuing areas will be arranged inside the Pennsylvania Station, although the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and subway systems will operate normally. As crowds around the station are expected to increase, he suggested that Long Island commuters consider using Grand Central Madison Station or Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn to board the LIRR, reducing commuting time.
During a press conference, the media also inquired about the scenario where the World Cup matches coincide with the NBA Finals of the New York Knicks, posing the potential biggest challenge to city traffic.
In response, city officials stated that they have already planned for situations such as overlapping events like Knicks’ home games, Madison Square Garden concerts, and World Cup matches. Due to the staggered timings of the two events and the conclusion of closure measures around the Penn Station in the evenings, they expressed confidence in handling the large crowds simultaneously.
The city disclosed that passengers heading to the New Jersey stadium during the World Cup will undergo anti-terrorism security checks, covering the Pennsylvania Station and major shuttle bus stations. The security intensity will be higher than regular luggage screenings to ensure the safety of the events.