East Harlem drivers hit a wall of red lights on Wednesday after firefighters and other emergency crews moved in near Second Avenue and East 108th Street, following an advisory from the FDNY and the city’s NotifyNYC feed. The alert warned of road closures, heavy traffic delays and possible mass‑transit disruptions in the area, and officials urged anyone passing through to pick an alternate route while crews worked at the scene.
According to FDNY on X, the advisory went out at about 9:34 a.m. EDT, cautioning people to "expect traffic delays, road closures and mass transit disruptions" near the intersection. The post also told commuters to "use alternate routes" as long as emergency personnel remained on site.
FDNY Activity: Expect traffic delays, road closures, mass transit disruptions & emergency personnel near 2nd Avenue & East 108th Street, Manhattan. Use alternate routes.
— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) July 8, 2026
Where This Is And Who It Affects
The intersection sits in East Harlem on Manhattan’s east side, and any closures or lane reductions there can ripple across nearby avenues and cross streets during midday and evening hours. As NotifyNYC noted, a heavy presence of emergency personnel can slow buses and other surface routes while crews remain on scene.
How To Avoid Delays
Riders are advised to build in extra travel time and check real‑time updates before heading out. For subway and bus alerts, check the MTA's live Service Status box at MTA, and drivers should consider alternate north‑south corridors while the response is underway.
As of the initial advisory, city agencies had not released details on what prompted the response or whether anyone was injured. This post will be updated if officials provide additional information.
