STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As New York City bunkers down for a state of emergency due to the upcoming blizzard, transportation in the borough will be affected.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced a series of proactive service changes in response to the blizzard, which could see the heaviest snowfall begin around 6 p.m. and continue into Monday.
In response to the storm, the MTA will operate the Staten Island Railway on a weekend schedule on Monday, meaning that trains will only run every 30 minutes.
Additionally, from 7 p.m. on Sunday through 10 a.m. Monday, the MTA will ban empty tractor-trailers from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
And while the transportation agency did not provide specifics, it did warn that New York City bus routes will face detours and curtailments based on road conditions starting at midnight.
Bus customers should expect delays and express bus trip cancellations.
The MTA also cautioned that Access-A-Ride paratransit will not take any reservations after 9 p.m. in coordination with the city’s traffic ban.
As a result of a state of emergency being declared, all streets in New York City will close to any automobiles other than essential vehicles from Sunday at 9 p.m. to Monday at noon.
This local state of emergency, which will last for five days, allows for the following actions to happen:
Suspends Alternate Side Parking for Monday, Feb. 23. Directs the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to monitor and enforce against price gouging. Instructs New York City Emergency Management, the City of New York Fire Department, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and the New York City Department of Transportation to take all necessary steps to protect public safety.
In coordination with the Department of Transportation and NYPD, Borough President Vito Fossella also announced that signs asking residents not to park in bus lanes have been installed on some major roads.
“During the last storm, vehicles that were parked in bus lanes were snowed in for days, significantly worsening traffic conditions and making it difficult for buses and emergency vehicles to pass. In preparation for the upcoming storm, our office has coordinated with DOT and NYPD to have temporary signage posted along Hylan Boulevard,” Fossella said.
Blizzard warning
On Saturday, the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the city, its first in close to a decade, from 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday.
In addition to the blizzard, NWS has also issued a coastal flood warning for the New York City area, which could bring moderate coastal flooding and up to one to two feet of flooding in low-lying areas.
In response, Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that schools will be closed Monday, with the mayor promising a “full, classic snow day,” in a post to X.
City officials also issued a hazardous travel advisory for Sunday and Monday, urging residents to avoid non-essential travel.
Travel is expected to turn dangerous overnight into Monday morning as heavy snow, wind gusts up to 55 mph and possible whiteout conditions hit the city.
Staten Island warming centers
Warming centers in all five boroughs have been activated including: Curtis High School, located at 105 Hamilton Ave. in St. George; New Dorp High School, located at 465 New Dorp Lane; and the Project Hospitality Drop-In Center at 150 Richmond Terr. in St. George.