With the 78th United Nations General Assembly set to convene Monday, Sept. 18, in New York City, the NYPD is beefing up security measures while the city deals with an array of street closures.
During a news conference Thursday, Police Commissioner Edward Caban said while there are no specific threats surrounding the U.N. General Assembly, the NYPD will deploy resources around the city, and will work closely with the Secret Service, the FBI, the State Department and the U.N. Police.
“Every aspect of our department will be involved, from patrol officers, Detective Bureau, to special operations, including aviation, harbor patrol, emergency service, K-9 and more,” Caban said.
The city will also close many streets, at the discreation of the NYPD, near the United Nations headquarters and in Midtown.
Caban said mass transit will be the best option for moving around Manhattan next week.
"With all the motorcades, security checkpoints, street closures and other travel restrictions that will be in effect over the next two weeks, I want to remind everyone that public transportation is the fastest and safest way to move around the city, especially if you are planning to be anywhere near the U.N. campus,” Caban said.
In anticipation of the high-profile event, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said Sept. 18 through Sept. 22 will be listed as “Gridlock Alert Days” by the department.
“Drivers should expect extensive street closures and delays across Manhattan for the duration of next week,” the DOT said in a statement.
President Joe Biden is among the approximately 150 world leaders scheduled to attend the event.
The main general assembly will begin convening on Monday. Biden is expected to address the assembly on Tuesday.
The city Department of Transportation and the NYPD have released a full schedule of street closures so drivers can plan their routes ahead of time. Street closures went into effect this past Tuesday and will run through Sept. 30.
STREET CLOSURES
- FDR Drive between Whitehall Street and 42nd Street
- Area bounded by 60th Street on the north, 34th Street on the south, First Avenue on the east and Third Avenue on the west; All inclusive
- Area bounded by 54th Street on the north, 48th Street on the south, First Avenue on the east and Madison Avenue on the west; All inclusive
- 6th Avenue between West 50th Street and West 59th Street
- 5th Avenue between East 55th Street and East 50th Street
- Grand Army Plaza between 58th Street and 60th Street
- Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and Fifth Avenue
- Madison Avenue between East 42nd Street and East 58th Street
- Park Avenue between East 62nd Street and East 45th Street
- Vanderbilt Avenue between 42nd Street and 47th Street
- Lexington Avenue between East 57th Street and East 42nd Street
- FDR Drive Service Road between 48th Street and 49th Street
- East 63rd Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 62nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 61st Street between Fifth Avenue and Lexington Avenue
- West 59th Street between Seventh Avenue and Fifth Avenue
- West/East 58th Street between Broadway and Madison Avenue
- West/East 57th Street between Seventh Avenue and FDR Drive
- 56th Street between Seventh Avenue and First Avenue
- 55th Street between Seventh Avenue and First Avenue
- 54th Street between Seventh Avenue and Madison Avenue
- 53rd Street between Seventh Avenue and FDR Drive
- 52nd Street between Seventh Avenue and Madison Avenue
- 51st Street between Seventh Avenue and First Avenue
- 50th Street between Seventh Avenue and FDR Drive
- East 49th Street between First Avenue and FDR Drive Service Road
- East 48th Street between First Avenue and FDR Drive Service Road
- East 47th Street between Third Avenue and Park Avenue
- 42nd Street between Seventh Avenue and FDR Drive
- 45th Street between Madison Avenue and First Avenue
- 34th Street between Seventh Avenue and FDR Drive