East River Traffic Closure and Roosevelt Island Bridge Advisories This Week For United Nations General Assembly Session
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) has issued the following advisory regarding use of the Roosevelt Island Bridge during the 2010 United Nations General Assembly session starting Monday. According to RIOC:
Please be advised the NYC DOT Bridge Operations Unit and Koch/Skanska Contractors will be manning the Roosevelt Island Bridge for the United Nations General Assembly. Security Zone closures of the west channel of the East River will be in effect. The crews will be on the bridge from September 20, 2010 to September 27, 2010 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.The United States Coast Guard has also issued a UN General Assembly related advisory for boat traffic on the East River.
From the Coast Guard East River Closing Advisory:
The Coast Guard will establish and enforce additional security zones on the East River, periodically restricting vessel traffic through the upper harbor near the United Nations Headquarters, starting at 7 a.m., Sept. 20, 2010.A Coast Guard dinghy was patrolling the East River near Roosevelt Island earlier todayThe East River closures include all waters of the East River from East 35th St. to 59th St. Queensboro Bridge.
Full closure of this section of the East River can be expected for Sept. 23-24.
- Zone 1: is a permanent security zone that has been in place since 9-11. It restricts vessel traffic within 175-yards of Manhattan in the West Channel of the East River. Commercial vessels must check in with Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service New York on VHF channel 12 prior to entering the West Channel.
- Zone 2: No commercial or recreational vessel traffic is permitted in the West Channel of the East River from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sludge vessels, which need a 24-hour advance notice to transit.
- Zone 3: No commercial or recreational traffic is permitted in the East River between East 35th Street and the Queensboro-59th Street Bridge on Sept. 23, 2010, from 9:15 a.m.-1:30p.m. and on Sept. 24, between 3:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.- except commercial passenger vessels with Coast Guard zone commander approval.
The Coast Guard zone commander will be monitoring VHF channels 13 & 16.
Violations of this security zone are punishable by a $50,000 fine, 5 years imprisonment or both.
Vessels that require opening of the Roosevelt Island Bridge must contact the bridge tender at least15 minutes in advance by phone at (732) 311-6705, (718) 361-9217 or via VHF-FM CH 13.
Specific times of the various security zone closures may change. Every effort will be made to keep mariners informed of all changes. Contact Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services on VHF channel 12, or at (718) 354-4088 for updates.
For more information, visit the Coast Guard Homeport advisory here.
stopping boats from heading south of the Queensboro Bridge
and turning them around to head back north.
Last year, there were some traffic and safety complaints from Roosevelt Island residents about unnecessary openings of the Roosevelt Island Bridge when there was no East River traffic during the 2009 UN General Assembly Week.
3 comments :
What does the notice about Skanska/DOT "manning" the bridge mean? Will anything actually be different from the way they've been "manning" the bridge for the past 2+ years of endless bridge improvements?
It presumably means they will be raising and lowering the bridge whenever a boat comes by.
Ah, it's that time of the year where Secret Service will swarm the island again. I am waiting for the day when we have to be patted down or pass through a metal detector before we are allowed to enter our own building.
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