By Y.M. Lowy

For the second year, Bedford Avenue will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic on the first night of Rosh Hashanah as thousands of residents take to the streets following davening.

The closure will cover Bedford Avenue between Flushing Avenue and Division Avenue and is expected to take place from approximately 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The closure is being coordinated by the Williamsburg Jewish Community Council (WJCC), Shomrim and the NYPD 90th Precinct as a safety measure during one of the busiest nights of the year in the Williamsburg community.

Following davening, large numbers of families walk through the neighborhood exchange wishes for a Shana Tova. With heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic at the same time, the temporary closure is intended to give pedestrians more room to move safely through the area.

The Bedford Avenue closure was first implemented last year as a joint safety effort involving WJCC, Shomrim and the NYPD, and will return this Rosh Hashanah for a second year.