MTA closing 1 entrance to Penn Station through Friday

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is restricting access to Penn Station ahead of the Independence Day weekend.

What we know:

The MTA announced the restrictions Thursday afternoon. The restrictions are in effect for Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3.

Passengers will not be allowed to enter the station from 33rd Street on Thursday and Friday, only the entrance at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

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Officials are asking Long Island Rail Road customers to travel through Grand Central Station or Atlantic Terminal for the next two days to alleviate some of the chaos that the restrictions will cause.

What we don't know:

It's not clear why the 33rd Street entrance will be closed to incoming travelers. The MTA says the closures are "at the request of the NYPD," but did not explain further.

The Source: Information in this story is from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

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