Gridlock Sam

[musicradio77]

This is the thread about Gridlock Sam, who does the traffic updates in the Daily News everyday. It gives you what's happening on the roads and highway in the New York Metro area on the move. Let's start with the first one.

All city parking rules are in effect today and tomorrow. On Sunday, no parking and no standing any time rules remain in effect. On Monday, all city parking rules are in effect citywide.

WEEKEND TRAFFIC FORECAST FOR OCT. 15-16, 2005

The westbound Flushing Ave. entrance to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway will be closed beginning at 9 p.m. Friday for a maximum of a week - follow detour signs. Two westbound lanes will be closed on the BQE between Sands St. and Flushing Ave. Saturday from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. and Sunday 12:01 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Jay St. between John and Plymouth Sts., plus Plymouth St. between Front and Washington Sts. will be closed Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the DUMBO Arts Festival.

W. Fourth St. between Sixth Ave. and University Place will be closed Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Washington United Methodist Church Street Festival.

Eighth Ave. between 42nd and 57th Sts. will be closed Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Midtown North and Midtown South Precincts Community Councils Street Fair.

65th/66th Sts. Central Park Transverse Roadway will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday.

21st St. between Madison Ave. and Park Ave. South will be closed Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sixth Ave. between 42nd and 56th Sts. will be closed Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Global Role Models Street Festival.

The west side of Broadway between 86th and 96th Sts. will be closed Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the NAACPS/Symphony Space Street Festival.

51st St. between Fifth and 10th Aves. will be closed Sunday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the Brotherhood of Our Lord of Miracle Procession.

In Brooklyn, Church Ave. between McDonald Ave. and Ocean Parkway will be closed Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Kensington Merchants Association Festival.

Taylor St. between Bedford and Lee Aves. will be closed Sunday through the following Sunday (Oct. 23) from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the Congregation Bais Neftali Carnival.

In Queens, Skillman Ave. between Thomson Ave. and Queens Blvd. will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.

Barclay Ave. between Parsons Blvd. and 147th St. will have only one lane open for motorists Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Jamaica Ave. between Woodhaven Blvd. and 80th St. will be closed Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Greater Woodhaven Development Street Festival.

Sections of several roadways will be closed to traffic in eastern Staten Island on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Staten Island Half Marathon.

Heads up, Staten Island/New Jersey motorists! Beginning Monday and continuing weekdays through the end of the year, one lane may be closed in each direction on the Bayonne Bridge from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On the Goethals Bridge, both New Jersey-bound lanes will be closed next week at 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, reopening at 5 a.m. the next day. They will also be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday.

[musicradio77]

Alternate side parking rules are suspended today and tomorrow.

TRAFFIC FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, 2005

Wednesday is the second day of the festive Jewish holiday of Succoth, and that means alternate side rules suspended and lighter traffic in Brooklyn's Borough Park, Crown Heights, Williamsburg and Midwood sections. In addition, in Williamsburg, Taylor St. between Bedford and Lee Aves. will be closed all week. In Borough Park, 18th Ave. will be closed between 56th and 57th Sts.

Basketball fans will swarm the Garden on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. for the Knicks' preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Bumper-to-bumper traffic will affect Seventh and Eighth Aves. in the area around 34th St.

On the other side of the Hudson, the Devils play the Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Meadowlands Arena. On Wednesday, the Rangers will face the Islanders at 7 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.

The "Today" show will hold a concert with "Heart of America" artists Wednesday morning. Guest stars include Michael McDonald, Eric Benet and Wynonna Judd, who will perform live on the plaza at 7 a.m. Avoid this morning route to work.

Both New Jersey-bound lanes of the Goethals Bridge will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the next day.

The westbound lower level of the George Washington Bridge will be closed 11 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

One tube of the Lincoln Tunnel will be closed weeknights in both directions from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning. Also, all lanes of the eastbound helix will be closed from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday. All lanes of the westbound helix will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

FROM THE MAILBAG:

Dear Gridlock Sam:

I received a parking violation ticket on July 30 for the regulation "No parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m." I was in my vehicle before the hour, disposed to leave the spot, when the traffic officer wrote the ticket. She did not ask me anything and did not even inquire to see my ID. On Aug. 12, I pleaded not guilty and remarked that the ticket was illegal, for it was issued at 8 a.m. sharp - she wrote the ticket before the hour. But that's not all: She affirms under penalty of perjury that she left the notice affixed to the vehicle because the driver was not present. I requested a confrontation with her before a judge. On Aug. 24, the Department of Finance offered me a deal: Pay $40 and forget the rest, or wait for a judge's decision. I'm still waiting, but I fear that one day my car will be on the marshal's list and towed away. What should I do?

Robinson, via E-mail

Dear Robinson:

You have to decide whether you want to take the offer or take time to fight the ticket. But I'd be shocked if a judge upheld a summons written at 8 a.m. for No Parking rule that started at 8 a.m. Furthermore, the officer was required to personally serve you with the summons since you were present (NYS VTL Sec. 238). If you are still found guilty, let me know. I'll print the judge's name with a few quotes. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

Gridlock Sam

[musicradio77]

All city parking rules are in effect today. Tomorrow, alternate-side parking rules are suspended.

TRAFFIC FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, OCT. 25, 2005

They'll be dancing in the streets - the streets of Williamsburg, Borough Park and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, that is. Jews will celebrate Shemini Atzereth starting Monday night, and Simchat Torah on Tuesday night. Torah dancing will close down Bedford Ave., from Williamsburg St. West to Taylor St., 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rodney, Ross and Wilson Sts. will likely experience closures too. Expect street closures in Borough Park (13th to 18th Aves.) and Crown Heights (Eastern Parkway service road).

There will be no dancing on the FDR and no traffic flow at the southbound Grand St. exit. This ramp will be closed all night - 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. - until Nov. 12. Use Houston St. ramp as an alternate.

It's the Conservatives' turn to emulate last week's Democratic gala. The 2005 Fall Reception of the state Conservative Party on Monday will feature Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), who is also the chairman of House Homeland Security Committee. State Chairman Michael Long, along with Gov. Pataki and Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue, will attend this event as well. These security-minded politicos will most likely be arriving by SUV rather than subway, so watch for bumper-to-bumper traffic on Seventh Ave. at 52nd St., by the Sheraton New York, starting at 6 p.m.

The New Jersey Nets and Boston Celtics will rule the courts Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Meadowlands. Routes 3 and 17 will be gridlocked as will the Lincoln Tunnel.

The Islanders will play Atlanta on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Nassau Coliseum. Expect delays on Hempstead Turnpike and Meadowbrook Parkway.

The Manhattan Bridge will have one westbound (Manhattan-bound) lane closed Monday through Thursday from 5a.m. to 3 p.m.

FROM THE MAILBAG:

Dear Gridlock Sam:

I parked opposite 341 E. 25th St. The red-and-white sign states: No parking 8a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. I parked my car at 6:58 p.m. By morning there was a ticket for $95 written at 7:41 a.m. Isn't it safe to park there from 6:01p.m. to 7:59 a.m. without getting a ticket? I went back to the scene of the ticket and took pictures. I plan to fight it. Do I have a case?

N from Brooklyn

Dear N:

Your interpretation of the sign is correct (I'm assuming there were no other signs governing the area). Not only should you fight the ticket, youshould file a complaint with the NYPD (if it was the issuing agency). Getting the summons dismissed should beeasy if the officer wrote down the hours the regulation is in effect. If not, go the photo route.

Here is what judges look for in photos. Four photos are best, the first showing the address of the building listed on the summons. Pull back for the second shot and show the building and where you parked. (Ideally, the sign would be in the photo.) Third, take a shot almost parallel to the curb line showing the sign but still showing the buildings off to the side. The final shot should show the street sign and a connection to the third photo. What you want to avoid is a judge saying, "Okay, I seethe sign, but how do Iknow this is in front of 341 E.25th St.?" Good luck.

Gridlock Sam

[musicradio77]

All city parking rules are in effect today and tomorrow.

TRAFFIC FORECAST FOR THURSDAY, NOV. 17, 2005

"A Magical Evening" will create a not-so-magical drive for most New Yorkers this Thursday evening. At the Marriott Marquis Hotel will be Meryl Streep and Maria Shriver, among other celebs, for the Christopher Reeve Foundation gala kicking off just in time for the evening rush. Drivers, stay away from the usually gridlocked Times Square.

With major sports out of town, it'll be Bruce Springsteen making the traffic headlines over the next two days. His concerts Wednesday and Thursday will leave the vicinity of Meadowlands in some tieups for the evening rush. Avoid New Jersey's Routes 3 and 17, as well as the Lincoln Tunnel.

And the bustling Bruckner Expressway closures continue through this Friday.

Between Sheridan Expressway and Bronx River Ave., the expressway will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Hunts Point Ave. entrance to the northbound Bruckner Expressway will be closed at the same time.

If you're coming from the Triborough Bridge stick with Bruckner Blvd., don't get on the expressway. The boulevard will remain open. If you're already on the expressway, follow the detour onto the Sheridan Expressway. Exit onto Westchester Ave., make a right turn onto Bronx River Ave., make a left turn onto the Bruckner Blvd. northbound service roadway, and then reenter the northbound Bruckner Expressway.

For New Jersey drivers, all eastbound helix lanes of the Lincoln Tunnel will be closed 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday.

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway westbound (due south) ramp to the Williamsburg Bridge will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, 1a.m. to 5 a.m. Take the BQE's Metropolitan Ave. exit to the Roebling St. entrance to the bridge.

From the mailbag:

Dear Sam:

On Veterans Day my father and his father (both military veterans) were parked in Manhattan to attend the Veterans Day Parade. My father has a New York City handicap-parking permit that was displayed in his window. He received a summons for "no parking anytime."

Could you please print the rules concerning displaying of an N.Y.C. handicap-parking permit?


Dara

Dear Dara,

The cop was wrong; your father should have never received a summons. A New York City Special Parking Identification permit (not to be confused with New York State or any other state's permit) allows the bearer to park in all NO Parking zones except those marked as taxi stands; No Parking or No Standing spaces authorized for doctors, press, diplomats and government agencies; at parking meters without depositing a coin; in No Standing, Trucks Loading and Unloading zones except for specified restricted hours.

Dara, plead not guilty. You may enclose this letter with your defense and advise the judge that Gridlock Sam finds your father not guilty!


Gridlock Sam

Dear Readers:

Get all your friends and family the Gridlock Sam's 2006 "Desperate Parkers" calendar - a perfect gift for the holiday season! We've got 42 suspension dates, the list of automatic parking ticket dismissals, and more. Buy one for $8, two for $15, five for $25 and 10 for $45. Send a check to Gridlock Sam, 611 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, N.Y. 10012 or go to www.gridlocksam.com. Please add $2 for shipping and postage.