THE busiest time of the year for a major United States city is back yet again, shutting down roads for cars and potentially even pedestrians.
The annual United Nations General Assembly is the cause for the closures, with its effect dropping the city’s average traffic speed to just 4 mph.
NYC traffic is at its highest point once again[/caption]
Street closures in the area immediately surrounding the United Nations Headquarters[/caption]
The city is advising locals to avoid driving modes of transportation whenever possible until the Assembly ends[/caption]
A total of 46 New York City streets will be permanently closed to cars as world leaders and their motorcades arrive for the Assembly.
These streets could also become closed to pedestrians and cyclists at certain times as the event progresses.
The MTA is urging residents to utilize mass transit, but bus lines which run through midtown will be impacted by the traffic nonetheless, causing delays for them.
Protests on controversial topics which will be discussed at the Assembly could further exacerbate congestion issues.
The city will post message boards alerting drivers of expected delays and current congestion conditions throughout the week of the event.
This year’s General Assembly is the first to take place since congestion zone pricing went into effect, which could further bottleneck traffic as locals try to avoid the $9 fee associated with certain roads.
Diplomats and their motorcades will be exempt from the congestion zone pricing.
President Donald Trump’s return to the city for the assembly is also contributing to the increased traffic via necessary security upgrades in consideration of his presence.
The assassination attempts on the President during the 2024 campaign trail further emphasize the importance of proper security during the event.
President Trump spoke at the Assembly earlier today, with a humorous start quickly descending into verbal attacks on the UN and its member nations.
He warned world leaders “your countries are going to hell,” slamming topics like climate change and renewable energy for leading Europe and other regions to the “brink of destruction.”
He levied criticisms against the UN for “not helping [him] stop the conflicts” going on across the globe.
He furthered that “the United Nations did not even try to help in any of [these conflicts].”
President Trump then mentioned the wars he claims to have ended during his second term so far, including those between Cambodia and Thailand; Kosovo and Serbia; Congo and Rwanda; Pakistan and India; Israel and Iran; Egypt and Ethiopia; and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
President Trump also urged fellow NATO member nations in attendance to stop buying Russian oil to minimize funding to the country’s war machine against Ukraine.
Traffic data shows that the Assembly’s occurrence causes traffic in the Midtown Central Business District to slow from 6 to 7 mph on a normal day to just 4 mph during the week of the event.
Over 140 world leaders, including President Trump, will be in attendance at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
High profile topics expected to be addressed include climate change, the impact of artificial intelligence, and hunger.
All 193 members of the United Nations are participating members of the General Assembly.
The Holy See, Palestine, and the European Union are all observer states which will attend the Assembly, the latter two earning that status in 1974 and the former in 1964.
Gridlock Alert 2025
The 80th United Nations General Assembly is underway in New York City, and has resulted in the following road closures:
- FDR Drive between Whitehall Street and 42nd Street
- The all-inclusive area bounded by East 86th Street to the North, East 80th Street to the South, Park Avenue to the East, and 5th Avenue to the West
- The all-inclusive area bounded by 60th Street to the North, 34th Street to the South, 1st Avenue/United Nations Plaza to the East, and 3rd Avenue to the West
- The all-inclusive area bound by 57th Street to the North, 45th Street to the South, 3rd Avenue to the East, and Madison Avenue to the West
- The all-inclusive area bounded by 58th Street to the North, 49th Street to the South, Madison Avenue to the East, and 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas to the West
- The all-inclusive area bounded by West 47th Street to the North, West 44th Street to the South, 7th Avenue to the East, and 8th Avenue to the West
- Grand Army Plaza between 58th Street and 60th Street
- Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and 5th Avenue
- 8th Avenue between West 49th Street and West 44th Street
- 7th Avenue between West 56th Street and 59th Street
- 6th Avenue between West 59th Street and West 46th Street
- 5th Avenue between East 63rd Street and East 49th Street
- Madison Avenue between East 58th Street and East 42nd Street
- Vanderbilt Avenue between East 47th Street and East 42nd Street
- Park Avenue between East 86th Street and East 45th Street
- Lexington Avenue between East 57th Street and East 42nd Street
- 3rd Avenue between 83rd Street and 72nd Street
- East 83rd Street between 5th Avenue and 3rd Avenue
- East 63rd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 62nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 61st Street between 5th Avenue and Lexington Avenue
- West 59th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
- West/East 58th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
- West/East 57th Street between 7th Avenue and Dead End/FDR Drive
- West 56th Street between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West 55th Street between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West 54th Street between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West/East 53rd Street between 7th Avenue and FDR Drive
- West 52nd Street between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West 51st Street between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West/East 50th Street between 7th Avenue and Dead End/FDR Drive
- West/East 49th Street between 8th Avenue and FDR Drive Service Road
- FDR Drive Service Road between East 48th Street and East 49th Street
- East 48th Street between 1st Avenue and FDR Drive Service Road
- West 46th Street between 8th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- West/East 42nd Street between 7th Avenue and FDR Drive
- West/East 34th Street between 7th Avenue and FDR Drive
