Holland Tunnel closed

New York's Holland Tunnel Closing
Sunday, August 01, 2004

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The Holland Tunnel (search) was to close to commercial traffic heading to New York at 12:01 a.m. Monday, officials said Sunday evening.

The ban was "correlated to the warning about the downtown financial districts," said Tony Ciavolella, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (search).

He said commercial vehicles should use the Lincoln Tunnel (search) and George Washington Bridge (search) as alternative routes. The ban would definitely affect trucks, said Ciavolella, but it was not immediately clear whether commercial vans would be prohibited.

The ban was not slated to affect vehicles leaving New York City. No ending date for the ban was set.

"This plan is part of the Port Authority's continuing cooperation with federal, state and local agencies," Ciavolella said.

The Holland Tunnel runs from Jersey City, N.J., to lower Manhattan, near where many financial institutions are based.

shut up, please.

I relate a news event related to a national security alert about attacks on NYC, you tell me to shut up. A friend of mine who works for the NYC DA posted on another board that there a lot to this story he can't tell us, but it will eventually be released, and it is huge. I, who want you guys who care about current events to know about it ASAP, and I'm told to shut up.

Fuck you,

wow, quite a well structured and articulate argument.

Yeah, this freaked me out a little when I saw it earlier.

But I don't get it, why just the Holland Tunnel? It seems that anyone targeting the financial district could just as easily drive downtown, or go around the long way, via Bklyn, and come out the Battery Tunnel, which will put them in basically the same place.

The Holland Tunnel was slated as a target after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. I felt at that time that they had their hearts set on finishing the job on the WTC and I have to imagine that they are certainly still aiming to do damage to the tunnel as well. To close it now is most likely only prolonging the inevitable, at best. Let it also be said that the individuals involved with the 1993 bombing lived in and around Jersey City. They know these areas very well.

Just for reference, the WTC and the Holland Tunnel are both owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. If they feel there is a need to do this then so be it. I say let them take whatever precations they think are necessary.

This is starting to freak me out, should I let it? I'm a few block from the Holland Tunnel. My grandparents live in Jersey City. I have friends in Newark. My mom works in NYC.

What if I'm woken up by a big huge BOOOOOOOOOM and I call my nanny and she doesn';t answer and I see that such and such building died and I'm like OMG NOOO and I call my mom and my mommy died and I don't know what to do and I cry..

God I hate America =( Why can't everything be peaceful?

Most of my freinds and I live and/or work in Nyc and I understand your feelings but I certainly wouldn't hate America for it...

Thanks.

Stock, from what you know is the closure more directed towards an attack on the tunnel or the financial district?

It's in the news.... but it only says what he copied...I assume they have specific info because there are other high-value targets that could get the same treatment if it was just chatter.

[Edited on Aug 01, 2004 by Raoul_Duke]

All i know, I posted. I know two guys who work for law enforcement in NYC, they told me about this story just as it broke. They told me there's more, but they can't say anything.

[Edited on Aug 01, 2004 by stockula]

Right, my guess is they are concered with an attack on the tunnel itself. Especially since the Citicorp Building is much closer to the Lincoln and Midtown Tunnels.

I think the closing may mean they feel an attack is imminent or that they are closing in on suspects and may just be doing it as a precaution. Let's hope for the latter.

Same feeling here...

fuck

wow, i must have just made it then. i just got home about 20 minutes ago coming through the holland. crazy shit.

commence freaking out and mass hysteria in 3...2...1...

Why? To what end? All it will accomplish is making yourself panic, which will not change the situation at all. To be perfectly honest, I'd much rather die in a relaxed state than while freaking out about something that I am unable to change.

oh...right. sarcasm doesn't translate too well into text

Okay, First of all...
the Holland tunnel is NOT closed, It's only closed for 'commercial' vehicles, just as the Williamsburg bridge is. The header here is a bit misleading, Stock.

Secondly,
as to your cryptic references to friend in law enforcement who have "huge" news, but cant speak on it yet...please spare us.

I'm writing this five blocks away from the Citigroup Building right now, and people over there are some tense Motherfuckers.

Again, though, The Holland Tunnel is NOT closed!

Edited to say: Nevermind. It all gets covered here.

[Edited on Aug 02, 2004 by UnnecessaryZ]