STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A blizzard that has dumped about a foot of snow on Staten Island is causing major disruptions to public transit for the Monday morning rush hour.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a state of emergency for New York City on Sunday with road closures that began at 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Public schools are closed on Monday.
Emergency and essential travel only is permitted on streets, highways, and bridges. Cars, trucks, scooters and e-bikes are banned through noon on Monday on city roadways.
All empty tractor-trailers and tandem-trailers are prohibited on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Due to wet roadways, motorists are advised to drive at reduced speeds on the span.
Public transit delays
Even emergency responders will have a tough time making their way to work on public transit on Monday.
“We are closely monitoring the ongoing winter storm,” the MTA said in a statement issued on Sunday. “Avoid unnecessary travel if possible. If you must travel, use extra caution.”
The Staten Island Ferry is operating on a modified schedule for the Monday morning rush hour.
The ferry is departing hourly until 6 a.m. in a schedule change that began at midnight. After 6 a.m., ferryboats will run every 30 minutes, according to the city Department of Transportation.
All Staten Island Railway trains are running local between Tottenville and St. George, according to the MTA.
Trains are scheduled to run every half hour and there will be no express service on the Staten Island Railway.
Some express subway lines are running local.
Longer waits are expected for local buses citywide since the MTA is not using articulated buses during the storm.
For the latest information on subway and bus service, check the MTA website or app.
Very few cars can be seen coming over the Outerbridge Crossing at 4:40 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.(Owen Reiter for the Advance/SILive.com)