Lower Manhattan, prepare for lockdown!
Residents near the World Trade Center site face an unusually massive — and lengthy — street shutdown this weekend for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
The closures, which start as early as 11:59 p.m. Friday and remain in effect as late as 5 a.m. Monday, have some Battery Park residents up in arms as they face no access to their parking garages, cars, taxicabs or even some pedestrian areas.
“There are many, many more street closures than in past years for the 9/11 anniversary,’’ said Julie Menin, of Community Board 1.
“It’s obviously a special situation. Everyone understands and fully supports the extra security measures that are needed,’’ she said.
“But what really has people rankled is the length of this shutdown,’’ she said. “It makes it very, very difficult for residents and workers to get around.”
Both the Vesey Street and Liberty Street pedestrian bridges, which connect Battery Park City to the rest of downtown, will be closed Sunday.
Residents and employees in the cutoff zone have been told to carry identification verifying their home or work addresses at all times — even if they’re just going out to walk the dog.
“It is an inconvenience and you do have to question if it’s really necessary to shut down the whole area for all that time,’’ said resident Josh Murphy, 41. “Can’t they just do it from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon?’’
Victoria Gonzalez, 60, is leaving town Friday to avoid the closures, noting, “It’s a tremendous amount of time to close the roads — how much can we take down here?’’
Planning to tough it out is Sally Greenberg, 30, saying, “If the police think it’s in the best interests of everyone’s safety, then I’m happy to back that call.’’
Added Callie Grelo, 29, “It’s tough . . . but it is a special day.’’