NYC Gridlock Alert for Ecuador-Germany World Cup match in New Jersey. Here's what to know.
Thursday is a Gridlock Alert Day in New York City as Ecuador faces Germany in the FIFA Men's World Cup in New Jersey.
The game doesn't start until 4 p.m., but major impacts will start as soon as 10 a.m.
Traffic is expected to be impacted in Midtown Manhattan as the city initiates shuttle bus corridors and closed streets around Penn Station for fans going to MetLife Stadium, which FIFA calls New York New Jersey Stadium.
NJ Transit service at Penn Station is reserved for ticketholders for several hours before and after the match to accommodate the crowd. Non-ticketholders will need to take an alternate route.
Officials at Newark Liberty International Airport also advised flyers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
Here's what to expect and when the changes are slated to take effect:
Penn Station
NJ Transit service
NJ Transit service at Penn Station New York is limited to ticketholders going to the Ecuador-Germany match from 11:23 a.m. to 3:07 p.m. During that window, riders who are not going to the match should take PATH from 33rd Street to Hoboken or Newark Penn Station for trains to other destinations.
Penn Station New York access will be limited again after the match to accommodate trains bringing fans back from the stadium. NJ Transit says other eastbound trains heading to Manhattan will instead terminate at Newark Penn Station or Newark Broad Street from 6:36 p.m. until about 9:08 p.m.
PATH and NJ Transit bus service will remain available for all other riders.
Street closures
Street closures around Penn Station to accommodate fans lining up for trains to Monday's match began no later than 10 a.m.
Here are the street closures:
- 33rd Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue
- 32nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue
The mayor's office said 33rd Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue and 32nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue will reopen after 4 p.m., and 33rd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues will reopen after 9 p.m.
Shuttle bus corridor
Ecuador-Germany ticketholders were also taking shuttle buses to the stadium from three pick-up locations in Midtown.
NYC established special shuttle bus corridors to accommodate the buses, meaning additional streets and lanes were closed to regular traffic from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.:
- 42nd Street from First Avenue to 12th Avenue.
- Two lanes along Sixth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
- Two lanes along Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
- West 40th Street between Eighth Avenue and 11th Avenue.
- West 41st Street between Eighth Avenue and 10th Avenue.
Truck deliveries
There will be restrictions on truck deliveries in Midtown from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. between 30th Street and 60th Street.
Smaller delivery vehicles, including cars, vans and bikes are exempt, the mayor's office said.
"Emergency vehicles, service vehicles and essential delivery providers operating within the zone are also exempt," the announcement said.
Click here to see the full Midtown Transportation Plan.
Commuters adjust their plans
Commuters are already changing their plans Thursday morning as the queuing area, along with some barricades, is already set up.
"I'm leaving Spanish Harlem two hours before I clock in to be able to get here on time," said Chris Ramos.
Another commuter questioned why the transportation changes go into effect hours before the match.
"People still have to work in this city," he said. "I get it…but in three hours. What do you need the cops out here now for?"
An NJ Transit rider advised others to get on the train early.
"I live in New Jersey, so New Jersey Transit do be acting up when the World Cup comes around," he said.
Fewer people using transit to get to matches
The New Jersey Transit CEO, Kris Kolluri, explained that fewer people are using the transit system to get to the NY/NJ Stadium than anticipated, resulting in $2 million in unnecessary spending per match. He said that they originally planned for around 40,000 people to ride on their buses and trains, but a deal from FIFA and the American Dream Mall has taken a lot of their passengers.
"On average, 24,000 people are parking at American Dream," said Kolluri. "Even before we announced the plan, 12,000 of the people that were supposed to be on our system were going to go to the American Dream because of the parking deal."
Kolluri said that they were not aware of the deal.
But the fans taking the trains and buses said it was a smooth experience.
"It was pretty easy actually, there is a lot of stuff outside they guide to correct [train]," said Erick Iturriaga from Mexico.
"We expected worse, but still, for $100 for that, it is still crazy," said one German fan.
