Mayor Mamdani’s World Cup traffic game plan will convert 42nd Street into a shuttle and MTA bus corridor on match days

NEW YORK (TIP): During the eight match days of the FIFA World Cup Final between next month and July, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration will convert all of Manhattan’s 42nd Street into an east-west corridor for shuttle buses to the games as well as MTA local buses. The announcement is part of the Mamdani administration’s broader transportation plan for each World Cup match day.
“Even as the eyes of the world turn to our city, our responsibility remains the same to make sure New Yorkers can still get where they need to go safely, affordably and without unnecessary disruption,” the mayor said in a statement.
When it comes to buses, along with the changes to 42nd Street, the city plans to convert the two easternmost traffic lanes on 6th Avenue between 42nd and 59th Streets into shuttle bus and MTA bus lanes, while taking advantage of existing bus lanes on 5th Avenue between 42nd and 59th Streets.
West 40th Street between 8th and 11th Avenues, and West 41st Street between 8th and 10th Avenues, will also be dedicated exclusively for shuttle and local buses.
All of these street conversions will take effect six hours before each match, and end three hours afterward.
World Cup match days will have ‘Gridlock Alert’
The changes are intended to speed up travel to and from the World Cup for ticket-holders headed to the games, without preventing other New Yorkers from getting around the city.
“This plan will also help ensure the vast majority of ticketholders will be able to get to matches seamlessly by mass transit, without driving or adding excessive congestion to our streets,” said city Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, in a statement.
The city will also designate each match day as a “Gridlock Alert Day” — when it expects Midtown traffic to be the most congested. On those days, it is encouraging New Yorkers to take public transit — particularly the subway, walk, or bike for non-essential travel.
It is also restricting truck deliveries between 30th and 60th Streets, spanning from the Hudson River to the East River, during matches. The limits will kick in six hours before the games begin and end three hours after.
“Shifting delivery hours in Midtown and creating dedicated space for stadium shuttle buses will help minimize disruptions for New Yorkers during World Cup match days,” Flynn said. “With increased activity on match days, we strongly encourage New Yorkers to avoid driving into Manhattan and to fully utilize mass transit to get to your favorite watch parties this summer.”
While MTA buses and Access-A-Ride paratransit service will be impacted in Midtown on match days, the agency will run regular subway service throughout the sporting event. Last month, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the agency also plans to run enhanced subway and bus service during the competition.
NJ Transit will limit its outbound service from Penn Station to World Cup ticket holders beginning four hours prior to matches on those days. The city will close 33rd Street between 6th and 8th Avenues and 32nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues to private vehicles for Penn Station queing starting six hours before games. They will then reopen soon after matches end.