Week-Long United Nations General Assembly Begins Monday; Road Closures Planned
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - World leaders are descending on New York for the United Nations General Assembly, and with that will come road closures and traffic delays.
Starting at 10 p.m. Sunday, the NYPD announced the following road closures will take effect:
- 1st Avenue from 42nd Street to 48th Street. The tunnel underpass from 41st Street to 48th Street will remain open
- 44th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
- 45th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
- 46th Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
Closures continue Monday beginning at 5 a.m. in the immediate vicinity of the U.N. at the following locations:
- 42nd Street from the FDR Drive to 2nd Avenue
- 42nd Street Exit and Entrance Ramps of the FDR Drive
In addition, 49th and 50th Streets between Lexington and Park Avenues will be completely closed to traffic on Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. while the UNGA is in session.
MORE: Check Traffic Before You Go
The NYPD said road closures will be intermittent as the meetings at the U.N. go on, but include East 34th Street to East 57th Street from 1st to 2nd Avenues.
EXTRA: Full List Of Streets Subject To Closure During UNGA
Wider road closures are possible on 50th Street from the FDR Drive to 6th Avenue. The West Side could also see some gridlock
Police said the road closures end when the U.N. session ends each day.
There will also be added security and barricades near the Midtown hotels that will host the world leaders, including the Waldorf-Astoria.
Police commissioner Ray Kelly said last week that the department anticipates protests to be more volatile than usual but said officers are prepared.
Meetings and speeches of the 67th session of the General Assembly begin Monday and run through the week and will include speeches from President Obama and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, among others.
Ahmadinejad's presence in New York is of particular interest to protestors who told the Wall Street Journal that the Iranian President is not welcome in the city.
"We want him to see he's not welcome here," said Nathan Carleton, a spokesperson for United Against Nuclear Iran.
Members of the group have reserved a room at the Warwick New York Hotel where Ahmadinejad is expected to stay.
EXTRA: Official U.N. Release On General Assembly
President Obama will address the General Assembly on Tuesday but will not hold private meetings with any of his counterparts.
Earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the ongoing conflict in Syria will lead the agenda, but women's rights issues and criminal tribunals will also be discussed during the week-long session.
There are 193 members of the U.N. and 130 world leaders are scheduled to take part in the General Assembly this week.
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