TRAFFIC NEWS and Updates

Gridlock Alert

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has designated several dates in December as gridlock alert days due to an anticipated heavy increase in vehicular and pedestrian traffic along numerous streets in Manhattan during the Christmas holiday season.

Residents and commuters are advised to use public transportation to travel to and from Manhattan on the following gridlock alert days: Thursday, Dec. 17; Friday, Dec. 18 and Wednesday, Dec. 23.

The DOT also announced that turns will be prohibited during the day at selected locations to both improve traffic flow and minimize pedestrian/ vehicular conflicts during the holiday season. Initial restrictions will be posted on 5th Avenue at 55th, 53rd, 51st and 47th Streets to ease congestion around Rockefeller Center.

It was also noted that a special construction embargo is in effect through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. There will be strict enforcement of this embargo and violators are subject to be summonsed. The locations and conditions of this embargo are available at nyc.gov/dot.

Road Work

Because of ongoing construction work at several locations throughout Queens and Brooklyn, the New York City Department of Transportation has announced numerous street closures in local neighborhoods for the upcoming week.

The announced diversions are current as of Wednesday, Dec. 16. The DOT may shut down other roads should the need for emergency repairs arise.

Streets and highways that are affected by closures during this week include the following:

Bridge Work Ties

Up Belt Parkway

The ongoing reconstruction of several bridges along the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn will result in a number of lane closures over the next several months, it was announced.

One to two lanes of the Belt Parkway’s westbound approach to the Mill Basin drawbridge will be closed during weeknights, Sunday through Friday, from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. through December.

Repairs Shut Down

Borden Ave. Br.

The Borden Avenue Bridge over the Dutch Kills in Long Island City remains closed through April 2010 for emergency repair work.

Passenger vehicles and trucks under 12’10” in height traveling westbound on Borden Avenue must turn onto 30th Place and travel one block north to Hunters Point Avenue. The detour route then travels west on Hunters Point Avenue for 0.3 miles before turning left onto 27th Street.

Vehicles following the route then travel three blocks southward on 27th Street before rejoining Borden Avenue.

All trucks over 12’10” in height traveling westbound on Borden Avenue will follow the same detour route up to 27th Street. On 27th Street, these rigs will then travel for two blocks before turning west onto 51st Avenue and south onto 25th Street before rejoining Borden Avenue.

Commercial and passenger traffic traveling eastbound on Borden Avenue will turn north onto 25th Street and east on 51st Avenue to 27th Street. After traveling north on 27th Street, the diverted traffic will then turn east on Hunters Point Avenue for 0.2 miles before turning south onto 30th Street and back to Borden Avenue.

Parts Of Roosevelt

Ave. Shut For Work

The eastbound lanes of Roosevelt Avenue will be closed between 126th Street and College Point Boulevard on a nightly basis from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. through December to facilitate crane operation.

Additionally, one lane in each direction will be closed between 114th and 126th streets during non-rush hour periods as MTA New York City Transit repaints the elevated 7 train structure above Roosevelt Avenue. The project is expected to continue through December.

Bridge Repainting

On Grand Central

One lane of the westbound Grand Central Parkway may be closed between 44th and 47th streets in Astoria during weekdays from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. through the end of December as the DOT conducts bridge repainting.

Additionally, up to two lanes of the westbound lanes of the parkway may be closed between 48th and 31st streets during overnights on weekdays, Monday through Thursday, from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. for repainting operations.

Lanes Shut On

Rockaway Brs.

One lane in each direction of the Marine Parkway/Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge may be closed on weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. to facilitate MTA construction activity.

Additionally, one lane may be closed as needed along the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge northbound from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily; and southbound from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. One lane in each direction may be closed on the crossing during weekends as the MTA conducts longterm construction.

Road Work Ties Up

BQE In Brooklyn

The DOT has reported scheduled lane closures along sections of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Brooklyn. The expressway will also have one of three lanes in each direction shut down between Sands Street and Flushing Avenue on Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:01 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Two of the three lanes, either east or westbound, are scheduled to be closed in the same section Tuesdays through Fridays between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

For additional closures, visit the city DOT’s website at www.nyc.gov/dot or call 311.