••• From Notify NYC: “Two Navy F-18s will conduct a flyover along the Hudson River on Tuesday, September 15.” That’s today. “Beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m., the aircraft will travel northbound at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet past the Verrazano Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the George Washington Bridge, and will continue to the Tappan Zee Bridge. The aircraft will then turn southbound and travel back down the Hudson River at an altitude of approximately 2,500 feet before exiting the area.”

••• A photo from Hudson River of the new Shake Shack signage at the Fulton Center: “Additional Shake Shack signage, with enhancements, and additional signage on the oculus side of the ring. (What are we calling that? The Sky Box?) The lone “S” is still there, too. No food yet. Everybody breathe.” I think maybe it’s just the upper level?

••• Hudson River also sent a pic of the preparations for tomorrow’s fashion show in the PATH/WTC passageway.

••• Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer is hosting a public hearing on congestion on Thursday, Sept. 17. But her office already seems to know what the problem is (the East River bridges must be tolled if there’s ever to be hope for Canal Street):

—Uneven tolls on westbound East River crossings induce the budget-conscious to go “bridge shopping,” clogging the free bridges and their surrounding access points. (A westbound freight truck saves upwards of $42 by using the Manhattan Bridge and Canal Street to get to the Holland Tunnel—and 90% of NYC and Long Island freight comes by truck!)

—Hundreds of tour buses travel an endless loop of hop-on, hop-off stops, no matter how many seats are filled.

—Subways and buses are increasingly unreliable replacements for private vehicles – and the MTA is facing a $15 billion gap in funding for the next five years of its capital plan.

It’s at 10 a.m. at the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s Theater 2, at 199 Chambers. “The public can sign up at 9:30 am for brief two-minute statements to be delivered as the last words of the hearing in the 12 o’clock hour. We will hear from many of the parties involved: the New York City Department of Transportation, the Taxi & Limousine Commission, transit advocates and experts, those who drive the many kinds of vehicles on our streets (trucks, buses, liveries and taxis) and the companies that own them— and, yes, even representatives from Uber and Lyft.”

••• This Saturday is Torly Kid‘s annual sidewalk chalk contest. More info here.

••• From Colony: “September 18 and 19, we will be holding a sample (and more) sale, with discounts up to 70% off list prices. Furniture, lighting, accessories, textiles, wallpaper and design objet of visual interest.” It’s noon to 6 p.m.

••• JMD has an update on Lot 77, the café at Southbridge Towers that was looking closed: “I’ve walked by a few times recently and they’ve put in shuffleboard and pool tables and are adding to the bar that was in the back.  Plus, they have a new sign up front and some more ‘eat/drink/play’ signage on the side.  I think maybe their liquor license went through and they’re rejiggering for more of a pub/bar feel.”

••• The Lower Manhattan part of the notice that the city sent out about street closures as a result of Pope Francis’s visit.

Pope Francis will visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding at 1 p.m. on Friday, September 25. This event is by invitation only through the September 11 Memorial and Archdiocese of New York.

12 a.m. [it’s safe to assume they mean p.m.]
—Liberty Street and Cedar Street will be closed between Trinity Place and Greenwich Street

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
—Northbound traffic lanes on West Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Battery Place to Murray Street
—Southbound traffic lanes will be closed on West Street between Chambers Street and Albany Street
—Trucks will be restricted from moving south on West Street between Chambers Street and Albany Street

Streets may face interruptions in flow of traffic or activities from Barclay St to Battery Park Place between West Street and Broadway.