Getting Around The Transit Strike

A strike or no strike for the city’s transit worker’s, that was the big question as the Tribune went to press this week.

Whether or not Queens will be told to take a long walk remained to be seen but in the event of a strike by workers of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, City officials were prepared to deal with the worst and hoped for the best.

On Monday Dec. 9, Mayor Mike Bloomberg outlined the City’s strike contingency plan in response to the “potential illegal work stoppage by the Transport Workers Union (TWU),” the union representing MTA workers.

“A strike by the TWU would be illegal and the City will do everything in its power to prevent one,” Bloomberg said. “A strike would be more than inconvenient — it would endanger human life and devastate our economy. Although I hope cooler heads prevail, we have to prepare for the worst and New Yorkers may need to once again call upon their resiliency, toughness and ingenuity. Our contingency plan is designed to move as many people as possible using alternative means of transportation and to make sure that our streets remain passable for emergency vehicles. We will use ferries, carpools, and park and rides to move people around. Lane Reversals, HOV restrictions and Arterial Roadways will keep traffic moving as best as possible. A strike would be incredibly inconvenient and frustrating, but if we all did our part and follow the plan, we would get through it.”

The New York City Strike Contingency Plan includes lane reversals, special High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) regulations, additional park and ride facilities, additional ferry service, truck delivery restrictions and a temporary ban on non-emergency construction. The Office of Emergency Management’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will serve as the coordination hub for the City’s strike contingency plan.

All pertinent City and State agencies will have personnel assigned to the EOC, which will remain activated through the duration of the strike. Residents can also find additional information on NYC website: www.nyc.gov/transitstrike.

All Manhattan Bridge and Tunnel crossings will have an HOV four (minimum of four occupants per vehicle) requirement in both directions, 24-hours-a-day during the week, and will have an HOV two (minimum of two occupants per vehicle) 24-hours-a-day during the weekend.

HOV restrictions would switch from four to two people per car at midnight on Saturday (Friday night) and to four people per car at midnight on Monday (Sunday night).

The restrictions will be in place on the Long Island Expressway from the Queens-midtown Tunnel to the Grand Central Parkway and sections of  Belt Parkway and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

City officials urged that commuters refer to www.nyc.gov/transitstrike for the boundaries of these restrictions in the event of a strike.

To accommodate extra traffic flow into and out of Manhattan, rush hour lane reversals will be implemented at the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. During the a.m. rush (5-11 a.m.) three inbound lanes and one outbound lane will be in place at the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. During the p.m. rush (3-8 p.m.) three outbound lanes and one outbound lane will be in place at the Queens Midtown tunnel.

Several Park & Ride facilities will feature additional transportation, including Shea Stadium, Long Island City-Hunters Point Ferry Terminal and Belmont Park. Numerous carpool staging areas will also be set up at Flushing Meadows, Alley Pond Park.

Additional ferry service will be offered by both public and private entities covering various routes in and out of Manhattan. Existing ferry service will also be expanded.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission will allow group rides in taxicabs. There will be taxi stands at Park and Ride facilities and around the City. The restriction on street hailing of livery cab services will be lifted and taxicabs will be able to pick up additional passengers even when they have a fare. In addition, the restriction on the street hailing of commuter vans will be lifted. People with handicap license plates as well as ambulate and para-transit vehicles are exempt from the special HOV regulations. The Taxi and Limousine Commission call center will accept requests for transportation from affected persons in the disability community and forward requests for service to licensed transportation providers. The number for this hotline is 212-NYC-TAXI (212-692-8294).

The City encourages all of those who are able to walk or bike to work. The Queensboro Bridge will make Manhattan accessible by bike.

Suspension of Non-Emergency Construction: All non-essential roadwork will be suspended in NYC. State transportation agencies will be requested to similarly suspend non-emergency construction on major approaches to NYC. Works in progress will be plated over.

Suspension of Parking and Street Cleaning Regulations

Alternate-side parking regulations will be suspended citywide to increase the amount of on the street parking.

While most New York City Transit bus and subway will not be operating in the event of a strike, Queens franchise buses will not be affected. They will continue to operate, but commuters should be prepared for significant crowding and delays.

In addition, within 24 hours of an actual strike, the MTA will put in place a contingency plan to provide limited additional service for Queens commuters on the Long Island Rail Road Commuters should be prepared for crowding and delays.

Details of that service is available on line at www.mta.info and in a printed brochure that will be available at Pennsylvania Station,

All maps and additional strike related information are available on New York City’s website: www.nyc.gov/transitstrike.

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