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New Yorkers Brace For Traffic Headaches From UN General Assembly

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- World leaders are descending on New York City this week for the U.N. General Assembly.

The yearly gathering takes place on the east side of Manhattan at the United Nations, but the effects can be felt throughout the city.

Top hotels have to keep on their toes to make sure the needs of all the delegations are met, and restaurants will host dinners and other events.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reports

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LISTEN: WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reports

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New Yorkers will have to deal with blocked streets and security sweeps as they try to get around the area near the U.N.

Headed to the U.N. are 130 heads of state. Along with other dignitaries, the NYPD has 220 motorcades to sort out.

"But the range can be from very small to very large, minimal impasses to several minutes of street closures," Mark Thompson, head of Community Board 6, told WCBS 880's Alex Silverman.

President Barack Obama is also scheduled to be in New York for the meeting, as well as a speaking engagement at the Clinton Global Initiative, an annual conference that coincides with the U.N. General Assembly.

"The past few years, the NYPD has been able to mitigate the problems greatly. It used to be a lot worse," Thompson said.

Some residents who live at 43rd Street between First and Second Avenues, however, said their street has been transformed into a "demilitarized zone," complete with barricades and dozens of police officers.

"It goes from sublime to ridiculous. I'm already irritated, and this is costing us a fortune and all the police that they put on the street are just, kind of 'hanger-outers' and just on the payroll for nothing," resident Joanne told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "It's really obnoxious. It's overkill."

Are you used to the UN security changes by now? Sound off in our comments section below…

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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