Partial Metro-North Service, Above-Ground Subways Resume After Blizzard
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Conditions were beginning to return to normal late Tuesday afternoon, after a snowstorm that hit the Tri-State Area caused some major transit changes as well as thousands of flight cancellations.
The Metro-North Railroad resumed hourly service on all its lines between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. after shutting down due to the snowstorm, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
For the Wednesday morning rush, Metro-North will operate a modified weekday schedule that will serve all customers with some combined and canceled trains. Customers should expect their trains to be crowded and should also expect train delays.
Many Metro-North riders on Tuesday thought they could catch the train before noon, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported. Guillermo Lima came rushing to Grand Central, then became stranded.
"It's not nice because I'm not really far from here. I'm in Harrison," Lima said. "They should have informed us beforehand."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said officials will have to watch the temperatures through the rest of the day and night.
"The sleet and the precipitation can turn into ice and make the morning commute more difficult," he said.
The Long Island Rail Road is running on a normal weekday schedule, but the agency says commuters should expect cancellations as conditions worsen.
LIRR offering a normal weekday schedule, but expect cancellations as conditions worsen. For more info: https://t.co/fBGBezwKC4
— LIRR. Wear a Mask. (@LIRR) March 14, 2017
In New York City, the above-ground portions of the subway system were shut down starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday. They resumed service at 6 p.m.
Staten Island Railway service is fully restored. Express subway service is to resume at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
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NJ TRANSIT has suspended bus service for Tuesday. All trains, except for the Atlantic City Rail Line, are operating on a weekend schedule. System-wide cross honoring is in effect.
Amtrak's Northeast Regional service between New York City and Boston and Empire Service between New York City and Albany have been suspended until further notice.
Acela Express service between New York City and Boston has already been canceled while Acela Express and Northeast Regional service between New York City and Washington, D.C. is running on a modified schedule.
PATH trains are operating an adjusted schedule, allow extra travel time. PATH is cross honoring NJ Transit customers @ 33rd, Hoboken & Newark Penn.
As of 5:55 am, PATH is operating a normal weekday schedule, subject to changing weather conditions.
— Port Authority of NY & NJ. Wear a Face Covering. (@PANYNJ) March 14, 2017
In Westchester County, Bee-Line and Paratransit is suspended.
The George Washington Bridge, Lincoln and Holland tunnels and the Staten Island bridges all remain open. There is a 35 mph speed restriction on on the GWB, and a 25 mph speed limit on Staten Island bridges.
New York state has banned tractor-trailers from most of its major interstate highways, including the entire length of the 570-mile Thruway system from New York City to the Pennsylvania border in western New York.
The ban includes the Thruway system's 426-mile main line, interstates 87 and 90 from New York City to Buffalo as well as the New England Thruway, the Cross Westchester Expressway, the Niagara Thruway, the Garden State Parkway Connector, the Berkshire Connector and the Erie Section.
Tractor-trailers are also banned from interstates 81, 84, 88 and 86/Route 17.
In Binghamton, where interstates 81, 88 and 86/Route 17 meet, Broome County officials have declared a state of emergency and banned all non-essential travel.
In Connecticut, a travel ban is in effect. All state roads are closed except for in the case of emergencies.
At the airports, the Port Authority said 1,124 flights are canceled at LaGuardia Airport are canceled. At John F. Kennedy Airport, 772 flights are canceled. Newark Liberty International Airport has more than 1,015 flights canceled. AirTrain Newark has also been suspended.
Atlantic City International Airport and Stewart International Airport remain open. Stewart International Airport has cancelled 14 flights.
Travelers are advised to check with their airlines.
Ferries and Hudson River Line bus service have also been cancelled. The East River Ferry service is also suspended until further notice.
Ferry service to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island was also suspended.
Ferries and Hudson River Line bus service have been cancelled Further @MetroNorth service changes expected as conditions worsen.
— Metro-North Railroad. Wear a Mask-Stop the Spread. (@MetroNorth) March 14, 2017
A blizzard warning remains in effect until midnight for New York City, northeast New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley, parts of Connecticut, northern Nassau and northwestern Suffolk counties.
The heaviest snowfall was expected Tuesday morning through the afternoon, with snowfall rates as high as 2 to 4 inches per hour.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)