Gridlock Alert Days

NYC DOT designates the busiest traffic days of the year as Gridlock Alert Days - the days when traffic is expected to be at its slowest and most congested. Whether traveling for work, errands or recreation, please consider walking, biking or taking public transportation whenever possible.

Dense traffic along a main avenue in Manhattan
Coined in New York City, the term gridlock means traffic congestion that blocks a city’s network of intersections and has been used to describe the Manhattan core’s overwhelming traffic volume in general. Despite the number of vehicles on our streets, New Yorkers most often choose from a variety of available transportation options including regional rail lines, the 24/7 metropolitan subway and bus system, ferries, cycling, and walking.

2025 Gridlock Alert Days

  • Monday, September 22
  • Tuesday, September 23
  • Wednesday, September 24
  • Thursday, September 25
  • Friday, September 26
  • Wednesday, November 19
  • Thursday, November 20
  • Tuesday, November 25
  • Wednesday, December 3
  • Thursday, December 4
  • Friday, December 5
  • Monday, December 8
  • Tuesday, December 9
  • Wednesday, December 10
  • Thursday, December 11
  • Friday, December 12
  • Monday, December 15
  • Tuesday, December 16
  • Wednesday, December 17
  • Thursday, December 18

Bicycle Access

Based on the success of the temporary bike lane through the tunnel for UNGA over the past five years, NYC DOT completed the permanent First Avenue Tunnel protected bike lane last fall. This critical upgrade enhances safety for cyclists by providing a jersey barrier-protected express lane bypassing busy intersections around the United Nations headquarters and is the first tunnel in the United States to be repurposed for bike traffic while maintaining vehicle traffic. The protected bike lane also calms traffic by organizing vehicle traffic in the tunnel as well as on the street above.