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December 13, 1999 1:31 PM, EST

A strike threatened by New York City Transit workers for Wednesday could close the city and create massive gridlock in the surrounding metropolitan area.

A strike contingency plan calls for Manhattan to be sealed off south of 96th street from 6 to 10 a.m to all vehicles carrying fewer than three people. Key roads such as Fifth and Madison avenues from 23rd to 96th streets as well as 29th, 30th, 49th and 50th streets would be closed to all but emergency vehicles.

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told reporters Dec. 11 that a plan for alternate deliveries by trucks during off-hours was also under consideration.

The contract between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents 33,000 sub-way and bus workers, expires 12:01 a.m Dec. 22.

A strike would force the 3.5 million people who use the city’s subways and buses every day onto area roads in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The city has established a hot line with information on the possibility of a strike: 877-NY-TRAN1.