New York Holiday Traffic Guide

New York City has announced the 2011 Holiday Traffic Plan, a series of Gridlock Alert Days and street closures designed to make holiday travel as smooth as possible during the heavy traffic days from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Read on for more about how the plan can help you beat gridlock and travel safely and efficiently this holiday season.

Please note: As of November 11, the New York City Department of Transportation has not yet released the 2011 Holiday Traffic Plan. However, the following are likely to be this season's Gridlock Alert Days, based on previous years. This information will be updated as soon as new details are available.

Gridlock Alert Days

The City designates a number of days during the holiday season as Gridlock Alert Days, which are days when significant vehicle traffic is expected. Residents, commuters and visitors are strongly advised to use mass transit on the following days:

• Friday, November 18th, 2011
• Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 (worst traffic day of the year)
• Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 (Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting)
• Friday, December 2nd, 2011
• Friday, December 9th, 2011
• Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
• Thursday, December 15th, 2011
• Friday, December 16th, 2011
• Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Stay Up-To-Date On NYC Traffic Conditions

For the latest updates on traffic conditions, check out the following resources.

• Read up on Thanksgiving street closures for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.



• Visit the New York City Department of Transportation Weekly Traffic Advisory for the latest news on lane closings, construction, and other events New York drivers should know about.



• Download the full Holiday Traffic Mitigation Plan to learn more about special traffic changes, holiday ferry schedules, transit promotions and more.



• Check out MetroCommute for real-time traffic advisories -- including accidents and delays. Sign up to receive text-message traffic alerts to your phone, PDA, or pager.



• See the traffic conditions for yourself from the comfort of your desk. View streaming video and still images from 45 cameras installed at key traffic points around Manhattan.

Trip Planning Resources

These trip planning tools help you find the fastest and most convenient route to your destination -- by bus, train, car, or ferry.

• Hopstop makes it easy to map out your public transportation or taxi route to any destination in New York City.



• Trips 123 helps you plan any trip within the tri-state area and also offers traffic information.



• Google Maps lets you plan and map your trip within the New York City region and beyond.