FYI for those near MSG during the RNC

Here is a highlight of the street closings and restrictions, as provided by the New York City Police Department:

•West 31st to West 33rd Streets from 6th to 9th Avenues will be closed to vehicle traffic. Between 7th and 9th Avenues, pedestrians will need to have a business-related purpose to enter.

•West 32nd between 6th and 7th Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic. It will become a Pedestrian Mall, providing access to Penn Station up through Penn Station's 7th Avenue entrance under the MSG marquee. People will be able to enter Penn Station through the entrance at 34th & 7th Avenue, but not from 8th Avenue.

•7th Avenue will be closed from 42nd to 29th Streets when the convention is in session. At other times, at least one lane will be open in the Madison Square Garden area and all lanes will be open elsewhere.

•8th Avenue will be closed during the convention hours from 23rd to 34th Streets. Since 31st Street at 8th Avenue will be a designated protest area, additional lane or avenue closures are likely south of that point at other times during the week.

•The MTA will be re-routing bus service on both 7th and 8th Avenues.


Special tips:

•Have company ID/business cards/commuter tickets readily available - You may get stopped for a security check if traveling through a restricted area, so it’s a good idea to have your ID and the reason why you are in this area visible. It is also a good idea to have business cards with you, as our building ID does not include an address. If you do not have business cards, there are general business cards available at reception.

•Travel light - Naturally, someone with a lot of packages will more likely be stopped for questioning, so try to avoid carrying packages during convention time.

•Be aware that Monday morning and Thursday afternoon/evening will be the most congested times for the Madison Square Garden area - The Convention will not be in session during rush hour and it has only one session during the day, on Monday from 10AM to 1PM. The evening sessions will take place Monday through Thursday, from 8:30PM to 11PM.

The time that will be most problematic will be Thursday afternoon/evening, when the city prepares for the arrival of President Bush to the convention on Thursday evening. We expect that further restrictions will be imposed in the Madison Square Garden/Penn Station area at this time, making travel in this area difficult.

•Parking will be limited - Many neighborhood garages have already been booked, and some on-street parking will be restricted.

Gin