UN General Assembly 2018: What NYC Needs To Know

NEW YORK — Dozens of world leaders will converge on Midtown Manhattan this week for the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. The annual diplomatic gathering has for decades drawn the globe's eyes to New York City — but it's likely to cause plenty of logistical headaches for the people who live here.

The General Assembly officially kicked off Tuesday and lasts until Oct. 5, but the busiest period will run from Sept. 24 to 29. Security will be tight as about 200 dignitaries — including President Donald Trump — come to town for the proceedings, NYPD officials said.

"Since the end of last year's General Assembly, we've been planning how to best protect various sites and all the people inside them again this year, while also minimizing the impact on New Yorkers and their vehicular and pedestrian traffic," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said. "It's a balance we strive for each year."

While there are no specific or credible terrorist threats to the city, thousands of police officers and detectives will be deployed to keep an eye on the event in coordination with federal law-enforcement agencies, said NYPD Chief of Intelligence Thomas Galati.

Police are also aware of more than 60 protests planned around the U.N. events, Galati said — unsurprising given the distaste for Trump in his left-leaning hometown.

Here's what New Yorkers should know before the General Assembly takes over Manhattan.

Traffic Squeeze

Police plan to use several measures to secure the streets for the more than 100 motorcades scheduled to roll out each day.

Some 48 sand trucks, 230 pieces of concrete block and nearly 100 jersey barriers will be placed at sensitive locations, the NYPD said. And the area near the U.N.'s headquarters at East 42nd Street and First Avenue will be subject to dozens of street closures and traffic restrictions from late Sunday night through at least Friday. (See the full list below.)

Bike lanes will also be closed on First Avenue from East 36th to East 49th streets and on Second Avenue between East 42nd and East 57th streets — a move that reportedly rankled cyclists, as the car tunnel underneath First Avenue will remain open to traffic.

The closures impact a secure stretch of First Avenue around the U.N. headquarters and a portion of Second Avenue that will be impacted by motorcades, said Chief Steve Hughes of Patrol Borough Manhattan South.

"Mixing motorcade and the bicyclists is not a good idea," Hughes said.

The six weekdays from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 have been designated "gridlock alert days" by the Department of Transportation. Officials have urged New Yorkers to walk, bike or use public transit, as car trips in Midtown could take up to three times as long.

Protests

The General Assembly is expected to draw dozens of protests. At least two will be targeted at Trump, whose namesake Fifth Avenue tower is just over a mile from the U.N. headquarters.

The activist group Rise & Resist is leading one rally at the Trump International Hotel on Sept. 25 to "call out the corruption, hypocrisy, and immorality of this President and his administration."

Another protest at Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza will call for the Republican president's impeachment on Sept. 29, complete with a "Baby Trump Balloon."

As activists target him with their ire, Trump is expected to take a hard stance against Iran at the U.N. meeting by trying to convince allies to support his withdrawal from the U.S. nuclear deal with the country, according to USA Today.

Open For Debate, Closed To Tourists

If you wanted to catch a glimpse of the U.N. delegates in action, you're out of luck. The landmark headquarters will be closed to the public from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3 while the General Assembly is in session.

Public tours will resume on Thursday, Oct. 4.

Street Closures

Here's the full list of General Assembly street closures, courtesy of the NYPD.

Monday, Sept. 24

The following streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles for the duration of the General Assembly:

• 42nd Street from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 57th Street from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 2nd Avenue from 41st Street to 57th Street

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed 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 each day’s session.

• 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.

The following streets will have managed access and no vehicle parking permitted:

• Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place.

• 1st Place from Battery Place to Little West Street

• Little West Street from Battery Place to 2nd Place

• 50th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 51st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 55th Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 55th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 56th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 58th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 58th Street from Plaza to 6th Avenue

Tuesday, Sept. 25

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed 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 each day’s session.

• 44th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

• 45th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

• 46th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

• 49th Street from 3rd Avenue to Lexington Avenue

The following streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles for the duration of the General Assembly:

• 42nd Street from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 57th Street from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 2nd Avenue from 41st Street to 57th Street

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.

The following streets will have managed access and no vehicle parking permitted:

• Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place.

• 1st Place from Battery Place to Little West Street

• Little West Street from Battery Place to 2nd Place

• 50th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 51st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 55th Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 55th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 56th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 58th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 58th Street from Plaza to 6th Avenue

• 61st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 61st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 61st Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

Wednesday, Sept. 26

The following streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles for the duration of the General Assembly:

• 42nd Street from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 57th Street from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 2nd Avenue from 41st Street to 57th Street

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed 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 each day’s session.

• 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.

The following streets will have managed access and no vehicle parking permitted:

• Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place.

• 1st Place from Battery Place to Little West Street

• Little West Street from Battery Place to 2nd Place

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 50th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 51st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 55th Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 55th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 56th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 58th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 58th Street from Plaza to 6th Avenue

• 61st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 61st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 61st Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

Thursday, Sept. 27

The following streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles for the duration of the General Assembly:

• 42nd Street from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 57th Street from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 2nd Avenue from 41st Street to 57th Street

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed 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 each day’s session.

• 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.

The FDR DRIVE will be subject to intermittent closures:

• Southbound at 63rd Street

• Northbound at South Ferry

The following streets will have managed access and no vehicle parking permitted:

• Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place.

• 1st Place from Battery Place to Little West Street

• Little West Street from Battery Place to 2nd Place

• 50th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 51st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 55th Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 55th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 56th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 58th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 58th Street from Plaza to 6th Avenue

• 61st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 61st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 61st Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

Friday, Sept. 28

The following streets will have one traffic lane dedicated to emergency vehicles for the duration of the General Assembly:

• 42nd Street from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 57th Street from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 2nd Avenue from 41st Street to 57th Street

The following streets in the vicinity of the United Nations will continued to be closed 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 each day’s session.

• 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.

The following streets will have managed access and no vehicle parking permitted:

• Battery Place from Little West Street to Second Place.

• 1st Place from Battery Place to Little West Street

• Little West Street from Battery Place to 2nd Place

• 50th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 51st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 51st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 55th Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

• 55th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 56th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue

• 58th Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 58th Street from Plaza to 6th Avenue

• 61st Street from Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue

• 61st Street from Park Avenue to Madison Avenue

• 61st Street from Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue

(Lead image: The United Nations General Assembly is seen in New York City on Dec. 21, 2017. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)