Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Sunday, September 16, 2001
Release #315-01b

Contact: Sunny Mindel / Lynn Rasic (212) 788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES DETAILS ON FURTHER OPENING OF LOWER MANHATTAN FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2001

Borders of Closed Areas

Street Openings and Closings

Points of Entry Into Lower Manhattan

Open and Closed Subway Stops

Instructions for City and Private Sector Workers Who Work in Lower Manhattan

 


Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced that additional areas of Lower Manhattan will be open beginning tomorrow, September 17, 2001.

"Now is the time for New Yorkers to show the world-and especially those who perpetrated these attacks-how resilient we are," Mayor Giuliani said. "The City of New York and the Untied States of America will not be intimidated by terrorism. That's why we are determined to return the City to normal as quickly as possible, wherever and whenever it is safe to do so."

"Tomorrow, both City Hall and the New York Stock Exchange -- two powerful symbols of America, one of freedom, the other of free enterprise -- will be open for business. City workers will begin to return to work in Lower Manhattan. The private sector will begin to return to business as usual. And more of our streets and subway stops will be open and functioning."

The area bordered by Broadway to the East, the Hudson River to the West, Chambers Street to the North, and Rector Street to the South is a secure zone, and will remain completely closed to all but essential emergency personnel. IF YOUR OFFICE IS IN THE SECURE ZONE, DO NOT REPORT TO WORK TOMORROW MORNING.

South of Rector Street, East of Broadway, will also be closed to pedestrians, and all offices in this area will be closed.

South of Canal, West of Broadway, Lower Manhattan will be accessible to pedestrians ONLY by subway, bus or ferry. PEDESTRIANS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CROSS CANAL STREET BETWEEN BROAWAY AND THE RIVER INTO LOWER MANHATTAN. Pedestrians will be allowed to enter Lower Manhattan via Canal Street East of Broadway, and will be allowed to leave Lower Manhattan across Canal Street at any point.

The Holland Tunnel will remain closed to all but emergency vehicles. The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel will remain closed to all but emergency vehicles and express buses. In addition, the Brooklyn Bridge will remain closed to vehicular traffic, but will remain open to pedestrians. The Manhattan Bridge will be open to vehicular traffic. All other Port Authority and MTA bridges and tunnels will be OPEN.

The Staten Island Ferry will be running on its normal schedule. In addition, there will be a special free ferry service between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, with a free commuter bus connection in Bay Ridge. Passengers may take the ferry from the Brooklyn Army Terminal, at 58th Street and First Avenue, in Sunset Park Brooklyn to Whitehall in Lower Manhattan. The ferry will run every half-hour between the hours of 6 am and 9 pm, and 3 pm and 7pm. There will be NO BROOKLYN-MANHATTAN FERRY SERVICE between 9 am and 3 pm.

The following changes have been made to the subway lines serving Lower Manhattan:

There will be no express bus service below 23rd Street, and no local bus service south of Canal Street. Some bus routes serving Lower Manhattan will discharge and pick-up passengers at temporary bus stops along Water and Pearl Streets.

Subway and bus service information is subject to change on short notice. For the most current information, visit the MTA website at www.mta.nyc.ny.us.

In addition, the City and private vendors will operate buses from Brooklyn and Staten Island into Lower Manhattan, with stops along Water and Pearl Streets. For routes and schedules, please visit the DOT website at www.nyc.gov/calldot.

City Hall will be open for business and all City workers who work in City Hall should report to work. For City workers who work in any other building south of Canal Street, only essential personnel should report to work. Essential personnel will be identified by their Commissioner and contacted by a supervisor. IF YOU ARE A CITY WORKER WHOSE BUILDING IS IN LOWER MANHATTAN AND YOU ARE NOT CONTACTED, DO NOT REPORT TO WORK.

To enter their offices, all City personnel will be required to have TWO FORMS of identification: their City ID, and a driver's license, state identification card, or passport. In addition, all bags will be subject to search.

All buildings to which City workers will be asked to report tomorrow have been inspected and found structurally sound. All central air conditioning and ventilation systems have been cleaned, and air quality has been tested and deemed safe.

PLEASE NOTE: No window air conditioners -- in any building, public or private -- should be operated until you have verified that it has been professionally cleaned.

New Yorkers in need of City Services should contact the relevant agency at a location outside Lower Manhattan. For locations, please consult www.nyc.gov. New Yorkers should be aware that telephone service to City Agencies in Lower Manhattan is limited at best. Calls should be directed to offices at other locations.

Private sector employees should not report to work at any building within the frozen zone, as outlined above. All others should contact their employer for information on the status of their building.

Businesses and landlords in need of assistance are encouraged to call the Business Helpline at (718) 403-2220. Also, businesses and landlords are required to ensure that their space has been thoroughly inspected and deemed safe before it is re-occupied. A checklist of key criteria can be obtained from the City's website at www.nyc.gov. The City asks that all landlords and business opening their properties in Lower Manhattan complete the checklist and remit the data to the City either on-line or via fax at (646) 0349-2079. Those with questions about the form should call (212) 871-9436, to speak to a Department of Buildings representative.

 


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