Melania and Barron Trump are set to keep living in Trump Tower once the Donald moves to the White House on January 20 - in a move that threatens continued traffic chaos and delays for New Yorkers in midtown Manhattan.

Melania and Barron won't move to the White House until after the 10-year-old finishes the school year in June, the president-elect said on Sunday.

Melania will travel to Washington, D.C. when necessary, and Donald Trump himself is expected to spend much of his time at his gilded penthouse apartment in midtown Manhattan.

News that Melania and Barron would be staying in New York angered residents who feared the security measures, ranging from armed officers, road closures and pedestrian bag checks, would exacerbate traffic in the city.

Melania (right) and Barron (center) will not move to the White House in the new year, choosing instead to stay at Trump Tower until the 10-year-old finishes the school year in June

Donald Trump has reportedly considered spending much of his time at Trump Tower. Pictured, center, with Melania, Barron, and his three adult children Eric, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr

After Trump emerged from transition talks with Kris Kobach on Sunday, he confirmed his move to the White House.

Asked when Melania and Barron would join him, Trump said: 'Very soon. After he's finished with school.'

Melania has decided to stay put in the interests of her only son, with sources telling the New York Post: 'The campaign has been difficult for Barron, and she is really hoping to keep disruption to a minimum.'

The 46-year-old former model, who is sometimes spotted picking up her son from school, told People magazine in the spring that with Trump on the road, she has spent a lot of time with Barron because he 'needs somebody as a parent'.

The 10-year-old has seven months to go until the school year ends in June at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School on the Upper West Side of New York City, where tuition starts at $44,120 for those enrolling in pre-K.

Famous alumni include actress Sarah Michelle Geller and author Herman Melville.

The NYPD has been working with the Secret Service to instill security measures around Trump Tower, which attracted the ire of protesters in the days following the election (pictured)

'No formal statement has been released yet, with regards to the family and their transition plans to Washington,' Trump transition spokesman Jason Miller told reporters on a press call earlier on Sunday.

'But one thing I will say is there's obviously a sensitivity to pulling their 10-year-old out of school in the middle of the school year,' Miller said.

'And so, I imagine that a more formal statement will be coming in the future and we'll let you guys know when that's available,' he added.

Trump's three-story penthouse apartment, decked in 24-karat gold and marble, is nicer than the White House, according to his ex-wife Ivana Trump, with whom he has three adult children Donald Jr, Ivanka, and Eric Trump.

With Trump expected to make frequent trips home, Jim Reese, a former Delta Force member, told the Post: '[Trump Tower] is going to become the White House of New York.'

The New York Police Department has been working with the Secret Service on security measures around the building on Fifth Avenue, which attracted the ire of protesters in the days following the election.

Armed security forces have been posted outside the building, but it remains unclear how long that will be necessary since Trump's concrete plans have not been announced

Barricades, truck diversions, road closures and bag checks for pedestrians have already caused disruptions to traffic and business around Fifth Avenue

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference on Friday: ' This is a big challenge and an unprecedented challenge - we know that - but we are committed to making it work.

He added: 'The number one imperative here is safety and security.'

Commuters were already left in gridlock for more than an hour on the roads leading to the Lincoln Tunnel on Friday evening.

The tunnel, which sees an average of more than 100,000 vehicles passing through it every day, was shut in both directions so Trump's motorcade could cruise through to Bedminster, New Jersey, where his transition talks are being held this weekend.

During rush hour on Friday evening, the Lincoln Tunnel connecting Midtown Manhattan to Weehawken New Jersey was shut in both directions while Trump's motorcade cruised past

Before Trump confirmed that Melania and Barron would be joining him at the White House after June, New Yorkers feared the security chaos would persist for years.

Armed security forces have been posted outside the building, along with barricades, truck diversions, road closures and bag checks for pedestrians.

It remains unclear whether the security plan outlined by de Blasio and city officials will change once Trump moves to the White House, but New Yorkers were already disgruntled that Melania and Barron's presence would exacerbate traffic in the city.

Trump Tower is located at one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the Western world, according to Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

News that Melania and Barron will be staying at Trump Tower have angered New Yorkers, who were quick to point to the traffic problems it would cause

De Blasio said: 'This is a very substantial undertaking. It will take substantial resources.

'We will begin the conversation with the federal government shortly about reimbursement for the NYPD for some of the cost we are incurring.'

Businesses on Fifth Avenue, where retailers pay top dollar for a spot along the famous shopping destination, have also suffered after de Blasio advised people to steer clear during a time when holiday spending is booming.

Tom Cusick, president of the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, told CBS the security 'has been a problem'.

Cars are not allowed on 56th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and and trucks are not allowed on Fifth Avenue between 55th and 60th Streets.