GRIDLOCK SAM
FIR., MARCH 18 - SUN., MARCH 20 ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE
IN EFFECT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
March madness at Barclays! The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds on Friday and Sunday means all day games and all day slowdowns. On Friday, Villanova takes on UNC 12:30 p.m., Iowa challenges Temple 3 p.m., West Virginia goes up against Stephen F. Austin 7 p.m., and Notre Dame plays Michigan 9:40 p.m. Atlantic and Flatbush Aves. will be jammed before and after each game. Best bet is transit: B,C,D,G,N,Q,R,2,3,4,5 and LIRR stop at the arena or just 1-2 blocks away. Driving on a Friday in Downtown Brooklyn should be avoided.
The New York City Half Marathon will cause a stir 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
It starts in Central Park, then down 7th Avenue to 42nd.
Across The Deuce to the West Side Highway where it kinks north for two blocks, then south to the Battery and around the horn via the underpass to the FDR to Wall St.
Avoid the West Side Highway until 1 p.m., Seventh Avenue 59th St. to 42nd St. and 42nd St. from 6th to 12th until noon. The Battery Underpass will be the last to open so plan to stay away until 2 p.m.
At Yankee Stadium the New York City Football Club play the Orlando City SC 7 p.m. Friday.
Allow extra time to get through traffic on the George Washington Bridge, Grand Concourse, and the Cross Bronx, Bruckner, and Major Deegan expressways.
The St. Patrick’s Day parades continue this weekend: The Brooklyn Irish American Parade noon to 3 p.m. Sunday will close Prospect Park West from Garfield St. to 15th St.
The Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade will close 3rd Ave. from Marine Ave. to Senator St. noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
In the Queens Midtown Tunnel, the Manhattan-bound tube of the Queens Midtown Tunnel will close 11 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday.
One lane will remain open in each direction in the other tube.
In the Battery Park Underpass there will be a full closure of the south tube
from the FDR to West St. 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday morning. During that time use the detour by going south on West St., left onto Battery Place., continuing onto State St.., and going one block north on Water St., then right onto Broad St. Sam Schwartz is a former city first deputy transportation commissioner. He is also a consultant to the private sector and government. Gridlock Sam is published Friday and Sunday. If you have a traffic question, please write to: Gridlock Sam, N.Y. Daily News, 4 New York Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10004, or info@gridlocksam.com