President Biden, first lady's visit to NYC for Friendsgiving could impact PM commute
NEW YORK (WABC) -- There's a Commuter Alert in place on Monday as President Joe Biden and the first lady will be on Staten Island for a Friendsgiving event.
The Bidens will hold a Friendsgiving dinner with service members and their families at Coast Guard Sector New York in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, on Monday evening.
Their visit to New York City will impact traffic during the evening commute and could affect those getting an early start on their holiday travel.
The president and first lady will be traveling by motorcade in both directions between JFK Airport and Staten Island, which means there could be unannounced closures and frozen zones.
Father Capodanno Boulevard will be closed for about four hours, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the park-and-rides will be closed all day.
"Please be advised that we have been informed that Father Capodanno Boulevard will be closed on Monday, Nov. 25, from 4 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m.," a statement from the Staten Island borough president said. "We have also been notified that the Park N Rides along Father Capodanno Boulevard will also be closed starting Sunday evening and should reopen Tuesday morning."
The dinner is part of the first lady's Joining Forces initiative to support military families, according to an advisory from the White House.
The dinner is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
The last time a sitting president visited Staten Island was in 2012, when Barack Obama surveyed Sandy damage in New Dorp. In 2016, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton visited Staten Island on the same day for separate events during their presidential campaigns.
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