Winter Storm Dumps 27 Inches of Snow on City, Clean Up Underway

Alternate Side Parking Suspended through Friday, January 29

 

NEW YORKSaturday’s winter storm dumped 26.8 inches of snow in Central Park–the second largest total since 1869. Mayor Bill de Blasio urged New Yorkers to refrain from travel except when necessary in order to allow plows to continue clearing city streets.

 

Credit: NYDN.com

Credit: NYDN.com

“While the storm is over, there is still work to be done. We urge all New Yorkers not to travel on our roads except when necessary, and to be extremely careful when driving. Our tireless sanitation workers are out in full force and we must give them space to clear the roads. If you go outside, use caution and stay alert for ice and cold temperatures,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

 

The NYPD reported that a total of 25 summonses were issued in relation to the Mayor’s Executive Order banning motor vehicle operations during the height of the storm.

 

New Yorkers are urged to stay off the roads unless travel is necessary so that the Sanitation department can continue to clean streets throughout the day.  The City is hiring additional emergency snow laborers to remove snow and ice from bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants, step streets, and other locations throughout the city.

 

Interested individuals can register at local Sanitation garages today and every day this week from 7am until 3pm. The list of garage locations can be found below and online here. Snow laborers will be paid $13.50 per hour, and $20.25 per hour after 40 hours are worked in a week, an increase from the previous year.

 

Firefighters and EMS personnel responded to 6,000 emergency calls during the storm, including nearly 4,000 medical calls.

 

Hydrant clearing operations underway today – there are approximately 110,000 hydrants throughout the city. FDNY will survey and clear as necessary, and is asking the public to help clear hydrants.

 

NYC Emergency Management has deployed Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers citywide to assist with clearing fire hydrants of snow, and is working with NYC Service to provide help to those who may need assistance shoveling. Anyone needing assistance should call 311.

 

 

Subway service has been restored to portions of the above ground network hit hardest by this weekend’s record snowfall. Service will be limited and most express service is suspended. Service on NYC Transit and MTA bus has resumed on a modified Sunday schedule. Limited buses are making all local stops. Access-A-Ride service has resumed scheduled trips.

 

Metro North service resumed at 12:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.  Governor Cuomo’s travel ban was lifted at 7 a.m.this morning, and the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels opened at that time without incident.

 

Code Blue protocols are in effect. No one seeking shelter in New York City will be denied. Anyone who sees a homeless individual or family out in the cold should call 311 immediately and an outreach team will be dispatched to assist them.

 

Any tenant lacking heat and hot water should immediately call 311. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has crews responding.

 

23956331914_2dd2ca418a_mFor his part Governor Andrew Cuomo thanked upstate communities that sent equipment and manpower to assist city personnel. “At the end of the day, we’re one state — upstate helping downstate — and we’re one community,” said Cuomo.

 

“We’re not out of the woods yet. It‘s not done. It’s cold out there, it’s going to be cold tonight, there is still a possibility for black ice through the day and tonight and re-freeze tonight. So we still have a lot to do,” Cuomo cautioned a t news conference earlier today.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email