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Holy Traffic Nightmare: Pope Francis Visit Will Shut Down These Precious Manhattan Streets

By

Jen Chung

Published Sep 16, 2015

Modified Sep 16, 2015

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By

Jen Chung

Published Sep 16, 2015

Modified Sep 16, 2015

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Pope Francis is coming. POPE FRANCIS IS COMING! The Holy Father will be in New York City next week for a short 40-hour trip. But those 40 hours will be a security puzzle and a logistical mess—if we're lucky. The NYPD released the streets that will be closed, and adds, "The use of public transportation for the duration of the visit is highly encouraged."

No kidding, look at what's happening, from visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral and a Catholic school in East Harlem to his Central Park procession and mass at Madison Square Garden. He's also "going to 9/11," as the tourists say:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th, 2015

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• 50th Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 51st Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 3 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until 6 a.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 50th Street from 5th Ave. to 6th Avenue (will remained closed until approx. 9 p.m.)
• 51st Street from 5th Ave. to 6th Avenue (will remained closed until approx. 9 p.m.)
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 6 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be re-opened to vehicular traffic until 10 a.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
Please note: Crosstown traffic will be reduced to one lane of traffic

Beginning at approximately 10 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• 5th Avenue from 47th Street to 55th Street.
• 48th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 49th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 50th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 51st Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 52nd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 53rd Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 54th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue
• 55th Street from Madison Ave. to 6th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 2 p.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 9 p.m.:
• Madison Avenue from 47th Street to 57th Street

On Thursday the FDR DRIVE will be subject to intermittent closures:
• Southbound at 63rd Street
• Northbound at South Ferry

Beginning at approximately 8 a.m. the following street in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until Saturday, September 26th at approximately
10 a.m.:
• 72nd Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Beginning at approximately 3 p.m. the following street in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until Saturday, September 26th at approximately
10 a.m.:
• 71st Street from Madison Ave. to 5th Avenue

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 74th Street while Pope Francis is in residence

Additional intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence include:
• 5th Avenue to from 74th Street to 71st Street
• 70th Street from Park Avenue to 5th Avenue
• 71st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue
• 72nd Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue
• 73rd Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 73rd Street -two western lanes closed

Beginning at approximately 10 p.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the Papal Nuncio’s Residence will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 6 a.m.:
• 71st Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 72nd Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• 73rd Street from Park Ave. to 5th Avenue
• Madison Ave. from 70th Street to 73rd Street

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 5th Ave. from 74th Street to 71st Street
• Madison Ave. from 69th Street to 74th Street

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th, 2015

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to vehicular traffic:
• 1st Avenue from 42nd Street to 48th Street. The tunnel underpass from 41st Street to 48th Street will remain open for passenger cars. Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access until the end of the day’s session.
• 43rd Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 44th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 45th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
• 46th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

The following will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at approximately 5:00 a.m.:
• 42nd Street from the FDR Drive to 2nd Avenue
• 42nd Street Exit and Entrance Ramps of the FDR Drive
Please note: These areas will reopen each evening after the day’s session.

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 1 p.m.:
• Liberty Street from Trinity Place to Greenwich Street
• Cedar Street from Trinity Place to Greenwich Street

Beginning at approximately 11 a.m. the following streets in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 1 p.m.:
• North bound on West Street from Battery Place to Murray Street

Additional intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the 9-11 Memorial includes:
• South bound on West Street from Chambers Street to Albany Street

Please note: Trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• South bound on West Street from Chambers Street to Albany Street

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of the Our Lady Queen of Angels School will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 6 p.m.:
• 112th Street from 2nd Avenue to 3rd Avenue
• 113th Street Cul-de-sac

Please note: Starting at approximately 3 p.m. trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 2nd Avenue between 106th Street to 116th Street
• 3rd Avenue between 106th Street to 116th Street

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of Central Park will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately 7 p.m.:
• Central Park West between Columbus Circle and West 81st Street
• W 61st Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 62nd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 64th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 65th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 66th Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• W 67th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 69th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 70th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 73rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 75th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• W 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue

Beginning at approximately midnight the following streets in the vicinity of Madison Square Garden will be closed to vehicular traffic until approximately midnight:
• 31st Street from 7th Avenue to 9th Avenue
• 33rd Street from 7th Avenue to 9th Avenue

Beginning at approximately noon the following streets in the vicinity of Madison Square Garden will have intermittent closures/managed access to vehicular traffic
• 31st Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue - managed access
• 32nd Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue- managed access
• 33rd Street from 6th Avenue to 7th Avenue- managed access
• 7th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street - two western lanes closed
• 8th Avenue from 31st Street to 33rd Street - one lane only/intermittent closures

Please note: Starting at approximately noon trucks and other large vehicles will not be able to access:
• 7th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street
• 8th Avenue from 30th Street to 34th Street

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th, 2015

The FDR DRIVE will be subject to intermittent closures:
• Southbound at 63rd Street
• Northbound at South Ferry

Please note: For all days additional closings may occur at the discretion of the police department.

Popemobile Pope (Getty Images)

Here is the Pope's schedule:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

(WASHINGTON, DC, NEW YORK CITY)
9:20 a.m. Address to Joint Meeting of the United States Congress
11:15 a.m. Visit to St. Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington
4:00 p.m. Depart from Joint Base Andrews
5:00 p.m. Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport
6:45 p.m. Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick's Cathedral

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 (NEW YORK CITY)
8:30 a.m. Visit to the United Nations and Address to the United Nations General Assembly
11:30 a.m. Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center
4:00 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem
5:00 p.m. Procession through Central Park (time approximate)
6:00 p.m. Mass at Madison Square Garden

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 (NEW YORK CITY, PHILADELPHIA)
8:40 a.m. Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport
9:30 a.m. Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia
10:30 a.m. Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia
4:45 p.m. Visit to Independence Mall
7:30 p.m. Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Tagged

holy father

pope francis

street closures

Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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