By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
TURTLE BAY — With the U.N. General Assembly set to meet this week, East Side residents are bracing for a yet another round of draconian restrictions on their movements — whether in cars or on foot.
The NYPD will completely close First Avenue between East 34th and East 49th streets to traffic Sept. 20 through Sept. 30 because of the security required when world leaders congregate by the dozens at U.N. Headquarters. Polilce will also restrict the use of the eastern parking lane of Second Avenue to law enforcement and emergency personnel only.
Tudor City Place and East 41st through East 47th streets from First Avenue to Second Avenue will also be closed while the Assembly is in session.
"It is terribly disturbing, really," Tudor City resident Noha Koueider, 48, said of the restrictions.
Koueilder said she has to navigate through barricades and show ID just to pick up her daughter from her East 45th Street school.
"It's a difficult time," she said.
In addition to the street closures, police will set up car inspection checkpoints at East 48th Street and the FDR Drive, East 44th Street between Second and Third Avenues and East 41st Street between Second and Third Avenues.
Pedestrians, too, will have to show ID to get beyond any of the seven checkpoints.
Those stops will be set up on every corner of Second Avenue from East 41st Street to East 46th Street (excepting East 43rd Street) and on First Avenue at East 42nd and East 46th Streets.
"There have been times where I've had to walk three or four blocks just to get one block over," said Eliza Howard, 62, an administrative assistant who works on East 48th Street.
For the businesses in the area, the General Assembly almost invariably marks a downturn in customer traffic.
"All around here there are so many police cars," said Il Yoon, 60, the owner and operator of the Tudor Farm grocery store at East 43rd Street.
"We just get residents," he said of the business that passes through.
With police restricting the vehicle access of non-U.N. drivers to the area, the Icon Parking Garage at East 46th Street and Second Avenue loses around $1,500 a day, said manager Fernando Rueda, 45.
Residents who keep their cars at the garage can get through with a monthly pass, Rueda said.
While the restrictions remain in place, the NYPD will have a Community Affairs truck set up at East 48th Street and First Avenue to help residents navigate the security barriers.
