'It Is An Unprecedented Challenge:' Mayor, Officials Outline Plan To Handle Traffic, Security Around Trump Tower
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio and city officials outlined a plan on how to handle traffic and security around Trump Tower.
Police Commissioner James O'Neill said there is a long-term plan for New Yorkers navigating congestion around the president-elect's home on Fifth Avenue.
The NYPD and secret service unveiled a plan that aims to keep President-Elect Trump safe, while also taking into account the needs of New Yorkers.
"We have to strike that balance between security and making sure all New Yorkers are able to get around that very busy area of the city," he said.
O'Neill said people will be allowed access into Trump Tower but there will be a screening area.
"It is an unprecedented challenge," said de Blasio. "This is a situation the city has never had to deal with before," the mayor added.
Security camera views of Trump Tower -- with its barricades, checkpoints, and protest zones -- dominated the walls at police headquarters as officials implored people not to bring cars into the city during the holidays, especially now.
"It's getting better each and every day," O'Neill said. "We're working in conjunction with the retailers and the restaurants to make sure they get the customers in as easily as possible."
"We want any business that needs to do work with, for example our Dept. of Buildings, Dept. of Transportation or the utilities to continue to do the normal procedure they would do but the NYPD and secret service will obviously be providing oversight on all of it," de Blasio said.
"The important point thing that safety and security situation will be baked in here. We will make sure that anything that is done ensures safety but they should rest assured ... we will arrange that in the right time and right manner with the oversight of our security leadership," the mayor added.
He also said they are very concerned to make sure businesses thrive and to be able to serve their customers and go on as usual.
As CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported, the mayor urged stoicism.
"After we get through grumbling, we'll get on with our lives," he said.
Earlier the mayor said he doesn't care much about the swanky stores along 5th Ave that are losing customers.
"I will not tell you that Gucci and Tiffany are my central concerns in life," he said.
But Friday, a mayoral change of heart.
"We are very concerned to make sure businesses continue to thrive and do well," he said.
The cost of the security plans is expected to be substantial, officials said they are going to ask the federal government to pick up the tab.
NYPD Chief of Department Carlos Gomez said they worked very closely with the secret service to come up with this plan and are looking to strike a proper balance between presidential security while at the same time not having an adverse impact on traffic, transportation, deliveries and lives of other New Yorkers that walk by the area and live nearby.
Below is the plan that is presently implemented as of last week for whether president-elect Trump is in Trump Tower or not, according to Gomez:
- Uniformed officers will be assigned to a security post around the perimiter of the property.
- Officers will be assigned to assist secret service personnel at screening checkpoint locations along 5th Avenue in front of the entrance to Trump Tower.
- Officers will be assigned to intersection control, will be assigned as blocker vehicles and will also man the Delta barriers that have been placed on 56th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison to control vehicular access.
- Officers will be assigned on observation posts at elevated positions and on rooftops.
Gomez also said there will be a good number of personnel available to address any demonstrations that pop up.
In addition to those resources, Gomez said they will have resources from the Counterterrorism bureau in the form of heavy weapons teams from the critical response group.
There will also be explosive detecting dogs as well as other officers from the Counterterrorism bureau equipped with radiation pagers as well as other devices.
Truck restrictions that are already in place will be enforced, said Gomez. The truck restrictions are as follows:
- Southbound on 5th Avenue between 60th Street to 55th Street and Eastbound on 56th Street from 6th Avenue to 5th Avenue.
- Truck traffic will be diverted away from those streets, Gomez said.
- 56th Street will be closed forl vehicular traffic between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue. Pedestrians that reside in the area or work in the area will be allowed to do so on the south side of 56th Street after being screened by the NYPD and Secret Service, Gomez said.
- Buses and passenger vehicles will continue to utilize 5th Avenue. But two of of the five lanes are being restricted due to barriers that are in place.
Small protest areas have been established on sidewalks around Trump Tower, but if protests get too large, 5th Avenue will have to be shut down, Gomez said.
So far 5th Avenue has been closed on three occasions in the last 10 days due to demonstrations, Gomez said.
Earlier, Tom Cusick, president of the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, emphasized how much the businesses on Fifth Avenue in Midtown mean to the city's bottom line.
"It's very, very important to the economy of the City of New York," said Cusick. "We're talking about minimum tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue – the potential. We're also talking about jobs. If there's not a lot of business, we don't need all those people."
"We will always choose safety over convenience," Gomez said.
As for construction, starting Friday, there will be an embargo from 60th to 30th Streets, from river to river.
"We're going to look at how we handle construction permits," City DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said.
It's normally done during the holidays in various parts of the city.
The commissioner said she's looking to extend it at least through January 20, when Trump is inaugurated. The embargo also applies to road and sidewalk work and ConEd and other utilities are banned from opening man hole covers between 6 a.m. and midnight.
