Headed out of town this week for Thanksgiving?
"The highest traffic volumes of the year typically occur during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend," according to New York State Police.
Here are some things to keep in mind, from local transit authorities:
Metro North Railroad
Metro-North will operate extra trains on Wednesday, November 21, departing Grand Central beginning at 1 p.m.
On Thanksgiving Day, Metro-North will operate a holiday schedule with extra AM inbound service for those going to see the Macy’s Parade, and extra late morning and early afternoon outbound service.
On Black Friday, Metro-North will operate a Saturday schedule with lots of extra service during the AM and PM peak periods.
Off-peak fares will be in effect for the entire four-day holiday weekend, and customers traveling in groups should consider sharing a 10-trip ticket for savings.
Metro-North is also operating extra weekend trains – Shoppers’ Specials – on the New Haven Line, Harlem Line and Hudson Line from November 17 through December 30.
New York City Subways and Buses
MTA buses and subways will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. The closest subway stations to the start of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are the 1 at 79th Street and the C at 81st Street. There will be additional service on the 42nd Street S shuttle as well as increased early morning service on the 1 line. A number of bus routes will be impacted by the parade. On Black Friday, November 23, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, service will operate on a weekday schedule with some exceptions.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels
To ease travel for its customers this Thanksgiving, routine maintenance and temporary construction work at all MTA Bridges and Tunnels crossings will be suspended beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 21, until early Monday morning, November 26.
Tappan Zee Bridge
According to the New York State Thruway Authority, the deck replacement project on the Tappan Zee Bridge will be suspended (or at least will continue out of sight) on Wednesday through Sunday.
On Wednesday, work will continue, but under the bridge. There will be no lane closures.
"For the safety of the public and construction workers, motorists are urged to proceed with caution and obey posted work-zone speed limits," the Thruway Authority said in a statement.
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New York State Police are warning residents to drive carefully this holiday weekend.
“The Holiday Season is a special time for families and friends, and getting there safely needs to be the primary focus of every driver on the road,” said NYSP Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico in a statement. “With the high traffic volumes we anticipate, the stakes are just too high. So we are redoubling our efforts to minimize tragedies.”
State Police will be paying extra attention to "aggressive driving behaviors, impaired driving, phone use and texting," according to a statement.
During the 2011 Thanksgiving Holiday period, troopers issued 4,353 speeding tickets and arrested 277 drivers for DWI.
“Our troopers are committed to making New York’s highways as safe as possible to ensure that the holidays will be enjoyable for New York’s families,” said D’Amico.
If you are hitting the roads for the holiday weekend, be sure to check out Patch's live traffic map ahead of time.
