Obama BACK in NYC Wed April 27

[Zee71]

I was hoping to catch AF One, but like Eric I gave up once I saw how foggy it was around JFK.

[Gerard]

Maan, I could get to Wall Street right around 5:30 tomorrow, but I have a mountain of work to do.

Work saved you a trip. I left work at 4:20 and made it down there within 20 minutes (good subway connections). The weather was nice, sunny and breezy. But when I turned off of Water Street and walked over to the Vietnam Veterans Plaza I immediately saw that they wouldnt be using Marine 1. There was some activity but no sign of his limo, USSS SUVs or PD motorcycles. Though the weather was good here no doubt JFK was fogged in and the helos wouldnt be used, they would go by land. It was like this since Monday. Sunny and warm in Manhattan but once you get to south Queens/Long Island the fog was pretty thick. I sat there for about 20 minutes just chilling then headed home. In fact as my LIRR train reached Woodside the fogs tentacles had come in that far. I was disappointed but what the heck, there would be other opportunities and I saw this as a dry run in terms of timing and good locations to watch the action.

[gonzalu]

So there is little or no chance of them using the 22s? They've been active all day today.

There is ALWAYS a chance; if he is coming in from Boston and even then I bet they would use the 31L approach as it takes 15 seconds from rollout to a full stop and they are into punctuality. It is impressive how good the schedule is for AF1 and all of the POTUS movements...

[NLovis]

The dip **** is screwing with my plans tonight because no one can get in and out of JFK at the moment.

Sounds like you had a blast. Thought bout heading out to try another go at AF1 but while I was at the vet with my cat I saw the fog and I was like, nope not happening.

[Gerard]

There is ALWAYS a chance; if he is coming in from Boston and even then I bet they would use the 31L approach as it takes 15 seconds from rollout to a full stop and they are into punctuality. It is impressive how good the schedule is for AF1 and all of the POTUS movements...

Military punctuality. I was just today talking with a buddy in work about that. When you see the times the TFRs are set up you can pretty much bet the bank they will be there within that time range. Anyone know when the USSS and NYPD put Plan "B" into effect today concerning going by land into Manhattan instead of air?

[gonzalu]

They probably have Plan B in place all the time :-)

I am an amateur compared to these guys and I always go into a downtime change controlled outage with both Plan A and Plan B with the Backout plan ready as well... so they probably decide at the very last moment necessary but still prepared for so.

I also bet they can change plans mid-way as well.

[gonzalu]

But man, it must SUCK having to drive instead of the white tops, all that traffic on the Van Wyck must make the president very anxious!

[Gerard]

They probably have Plan B in place all the time :-)
I am an amateur compared to these guys and I always go into a downtime change controlled outage with both Plan A and Plan B with the Backout plan ready as well... so they probably decide at the very last moment necessary but still prepared for so.
I also bet they can change plans mid-way as well.

Yup. Plan C & D along with different routes.

[Gerard]

But man, it must SUCK having to drive instead of the white tops, all that traffic on the Van Wyck must make the president very anxious!

LOL, one of my least favorite roads. When I lived in Forest Hills and took my trips to Floyd B. I would avoid it as much as possible utilizing Woodhaven Blvd instead. If the lights were in
synch you could make great time.

[gonzalu]

Woodhaven is no longer a "haven" to avoid the Van Wyck ... it has become just as clogged, especially with yellow cabs and airport shuttles who know the option well, but there is just too much traffic. My question has always been WHY? I mean the road technically ends at JFK and I never have traffic past Linden BLVD... is it the hills and the trucks? On the way to Flushing, I know it has to do with the hill past Atlantic ave as well as the split for the GCP... the ramp to the Van Wyck/Whitestone extension is a horror for traffic flow smoothness ... and just like the Cross Bronx Exp, it is THE ONLY viable alternative from one point to another in that area.

[gonzalu]

Looks like he was in Harlem for both events, so why would 51st st be completely barricaded and policed from the river to 5th ave? I took this route from a meeting at Lex and 53rd and drove to West Side in record time just around the time he was to land at JFK.

I'd figure 125th St is far better for travel :-)

[moose135]

He wasn't in Harlem, Manny. He was at an event on 5th Avenue along Central Park (somewhere in the 70s) then a couple of events closer to Midtown. He was supposed to fly into the Wall Street Heliport, then take the FDR up to 51st and over to 5th...I was in the city by 4pm, so I missed all of that - by the time I headed home, around 11, he had cleared out.

[Gerard]

He wasn't in Harlem, Manny. He was at an event on 5th Avenue along Central Park (somewhere in the 70s) then a couple of events closer to Midtown. He was supposed to fly into the Wall Street Heliport, then take the FDR up to 51st and over to 5th...

Actually it was 61st and up to 5th. I saw all the barricades set up on East 61st.

[Gerard]

Woodhaven is no longer a "haven" to avoid the Van Wyck ... it has become just as clogged, especially with yellow cabs and airport shuttles who know the option well, but there is just too much traffic.

Everywhere. And Manny that was over 12 years ago when I used that option. Ah the good ol days.

[hiss srq]

Sounds like you had a blast. Thought bout heading out to try another go at AF1 but while I was at the vet with my cat I saw the fog and I was like, nope not happening.

-_- My parents and sister were coming back from wintering in Sarasota on JBU348 and natrually, they ended up over 2 hours late getting out due to the GS issued for AF1 and when it's AF1 there isnt a string in the world you can pull with people to make an airplane move when you need it to.