The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly will begin today, September 10, coinciding with the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. With various events scheduled, many streets in Manhattan will be closed off and bus routes will be altered, leading to expected heavy traffic congestion. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) advises passengers to use the subway system as much as possible for their travel.
The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly will run from September 10 to September 24. During this period, certain sections of main roads in Manhattan, ranging from 8th Avenue to 1st Avenue and including the FDR Drive, will have roadblocks set up. Most of the closures will be concentrated between 34th and 63rd Streets in Midtown, particularly between 40th and 50th Streets.
Several streets downtown will be closed on September 11 for commemorative ceremonies. These include partial closures of South End Avenue, Liberty Street, and Battery Place, as well as the area bounded by Barclay Street to the north, Rector Street to the south, Broadway to the east, and West Street to the west.
Due to plans for President Biden and Vice President Harris to attend the ceremonies, and the potential presence of former President Trump, it is expected that more roads will be closed. Additionally, activities related to New York Fashion Week, which began on September 6, will lead to closures between 11th and 12th Avenues on West 26th and 27th Streets, as well as on 11th Avenue between West 26th and 27th Streets, until the 11th.
MTA advises passengers to be aware of bus route changes and to opt for the subway system to avoid congestion. Passengers can also use the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and the Metro-North Railroad to travel to Grand Central Terminal. For information on service changes, visit the mta.info website, download the MTA app, subscribe to MTA email and text notifications, chat online via WhatsApp, or dial 511 for assistance.