travel ban erie county ny update

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Update: Some travel ban lifted in Erie County, caution urged in Niagara County

Jan. 14—The travel ban for passenger and commercial vehicles in Erie County has been lifted in Grand Island, Tonawanda, Amherst, Clarence and Newstead.

Central Erie County and many Southtowns will remain under a full travel ban until further notice, and the Thruway remains closed to commercial traffic between Exit 46 and the Pennsylvania State Line. Drivers are advised to stay off the roads and avoid unnecessary travel.

There are no travel restrictions in Niagara County, with emergency officials urging drivers to use caution. "There are places in the county that got very little snow but others that got quite a bit. Plows from the various agencies are out trying to clean up what we have seen so far," a message from the Niagara County Emergency Services Facebook read late Sunday morning.

New Yorkers in Western New York are being urged to stay home throughout the duration of the storm. Travel in impacted areas could be dangerous at times throughout the evening due to blizzard-like conditions.

"Our crews have been working around the clock to keep the roads clear and New Yorkers safe, and I am grateful that the vast majority of New Yorkers heeded our ban and stayed off the road," Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "As conditions are improving int eh north towns we are lifting the travel ban there, but if you do not have to travel today, stay home and let our crews continue to work. If you are in central Erie County and much of the Southtowns, continue to stay home."

Currently, there are 25,569 outages statewide, including 18,518 outages in the Mid-Hudson region, 90 in Western New York and 42 in the North Country. Utility crews have kept up with the level of power outages incurred to date, and remain on standby to restore any additional power outages if and when they occur.

The travel ban was lifted Sunday morning in the Towns of Collins, North Collins, Concord, Sardinia, Colden and Holland, as well as in the Villages of North Collins and Springville.

Heavy lake effect snow will continue off the eastern shores of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario throughout Sunday, with snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches possible, as well as thundersnow in the heaviest parts of the bands. Winds will begin out of the southwest Sunday morning gusting at 35-40 mph and will increase to 40-50 mph this afternoon.

Tonight, snowfall rates are expected to remain at 2 to3 inches per hour in the heaviest bands, but wind gusts will diminish to 30 mph. In Western New York, the band is expected to oscillate near or just south of Buffalo for most of the night, while in the North Country, the band is expected to oscillate between the central Tug Hill plateau and Watertown. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at https://alerts.weather.gov .

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Travel ban lifted in Erie County as road conditions improve, warmer weather settles in

A travel ban has been lifted in New York’s Erie County, days after it was put into place as a deadly blizzard swept across the region, at times reducing visibility to zero.

The ban, which was implemented Friday, expired at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told reporters Wednesday night that the roads were in good enough condition to lift the ban.

“It has been 6 days,” Brown said. “Some people have not been able to restock groceries, to restock medications, to get to medical appointments, and being able to lift the travel ban safely now will allow people to do those important things.”

Most streets in the city are passable, Brown said, and he expected crews to have made a pass down the center of every residential street by the end of the night.

Though the ban has been lifted, a travel advisory was in place for Erie County as cleanup continues and a county-wide state of emergency remained. Brown asked people to be cautious and avoid driving unless necessary.

More than 450 pieces of equipment were on Buffalo streets plowing and hauling snow, and many traffic signals were still not working, he said.

The storm dumped upwards of 20 inches of snow in parts of New York — including nearly 52 inches at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

The powerful storm plunged much of the United States into a deep freeze, creating life-threatening conditions as more than 1 million homes and businesses were left in the dark, and wreaking havoc on flight schedules during the busy holiday travel week.

At least 76 people died in the storm, according to an NBC News tally. Erie County accounted for 37 of the deaths, 29 of which were in Buffalo.

Weather-related deaths were also reported in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois and Vermont.

In Buffalo, officials said it was possible the number could rise.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Wednesday night that police have cleared the backlog of calls relating to welfare checks, stranded motorists and reports of bodies.

Search and rescue teams were returning Thursday to check locations where bodies had been reported but could not be confirmed — either because of the amount of snow or the vagueness of location, Gramaglia said.

"We believe there were some credible 911 calls that contained more information ... low single digit numbers, that's again why we're going to concentrate our efforts on hitting those areas," he told reporters.

In Erie County, 17 of the people who died in the blizzard were found outside and four were in a vehicle , according to County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Several people died because of a delay receiving emergency services or from cardiac events related to shoveling or blowing snow. Of the deaths, nine were people who died because they had no heat in their homes, he said.

Poloncarz said in a tweet Wednesday night that 500 National Guard members have conducted nearly 850 welfare checks on residents who had longterm power outages.

Power was being restored to New York, and by early Thursday, about 400 customers in the state were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us .

In Buffalo, where more than 20,000 customers were without power at one point during the storm, only three had no electricity Wednesday night, according to Brown, the mayor.

On Wednesday, city offices, facilities and roadways opened, as temperatures rose into the 40s across parts of New York.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which has been closed since Friday , reopened Wednesday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday night that all major state highways in western New York, including the Erie County portion of Interstate 190 and several state routes, would reopen at midnight.

“I am extremely grateful to all the highway maintenance workers, first responders and emergency service staff who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement .   

The temperature is expected to continue climbing to the low-50s in the Buffalo region by Friday, and will help melt the accumulated snow, according to the National Weather Service .

Claire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital.

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Travel ban continues in Buffalo

5th UPDATE: Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted :

“The driving ban in the City of Buffalo is expected to remain through today and will be reevaluated in the overnight/early morning based on street clearing progress.”

••••••••

4th UPDATE: On Wednesday morning, City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown tweeted :

“PLEASE SHARE! The @NFTAMetro is restoring service to the following bus routes: 4 Broadway 8 Main 24 Genesee 25 Delaware 34 NF Blvd 35 Sheridan 40 Buffalo-NF 50 Buffalo Ave 52 N. End Circulator 55 Pine Ave 59 NCCC Rail service will resume at 11am. Paratransit is still suspended.”

The Buffalo Police Department tweeted:

“BREAKING: Driving Ban remains in effect in Buffalo. There are over 450 pieces of snow fighting equipment on City streets. Please stay off the roads to allow crews to remove & haul snow.”

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted :

•“Crews are out clearing snow and towing vehicles on Rt. 198 and Rt. 33. The 33 is particularly difficult with the below-grade section having 30ft drifts. @NYSDOTBuffalo is responsible for this route. Even if roads are cleared, a driving ban remains in the City of Buffalo.”

•“The goal is for every road in the City of Buffalo to have one lane open within 24 hrs. The @ErieCountyDPW area of responsibility is on track to have all roads open by 7pm tonight.”

•“There are Military Police out with @ErieCountyDPW crews assisting in traffic control because there are far too many cars out on the road in the City of Buffalo. The driving ban remains in effect for Buffalo”

•"Everyone who called 858-SNOW will be receiving a follow up to ensure safety and well-being."

3rd UPDATE: On Tuesday night, City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown tweeted:

“As we continue to clear roads and restore power to residents, Buffalo City Hall will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday). A Driving Ban remains in effect for the City of Buffalo.”

2nd UPDATE: Later on Tuesday morning, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted :

•“UPDATE: The driving ban for the City of Lackawanna has been changed to an advisory. A driving ban REMAINS IN EFFECT for the City of Buffalo.”

Image courtesy of Erie County

Poloncarz added:

•“In regards to opening up Buffalo's streets, our @ErieCountyDPW , @NYSDOT and Bflo have major resources out but the snow is NOT plowable. It must be scooped up and put into dump trucks, then dumped elsewhere. It will take approximately 2 days to open up 1 lane on every city street.”

•“ Our @ErieCountyESU department is coordinating to ensure emergency crews have fuel and supplies have not become an issue. We are also making sure supplies are able to get to grocery stores and keep shelves stocked. Currently, are not hearing reports of any stock issues.”

•“We are in an ongoing State of Emergency and a driving ban remains for the City of Buffalo. You can absolutely go out and walk to check on neighbors, go to open stores, etc. But do not drive.”

•“The Skyway and other parts of Rt. 5, Rt. 33, and Rt. 198 will be closed for some time. The Thruway, 190 and 290 are in the process of being opened. When the 190 opens, DO NOT get off at Buffalo exits. @NYSThruway will be blocking these ramps.”

•“With 50 degree temperatures and rain later this week, we are working with our @NWSBUFFALO partners to monitor the forecast. This is one of the reasons certain streets are targeted for extra clearance to allow for proper drainage of melt water”

•“Vehicles that were towed by Erie County will be at ECC North. Visit http://erie.gov/towedvehicles If your vehicle is not on the list, it was NOT towed by Erie County. Other municipalities are working on their own websites.”

UPDATE: Shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted the following travel update:

“We can announce that the driving ban has been reduced to an advisory for Cheektowaga as of 7am. Bans are still in effect for the City of Buffalo and City of Lackawanna. All of Erie County remains under a State of Emergency.”

On Monday evening, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted the following travel updates:

•“The Driving Ban will be lifted in the Town of Amherst as of 7 pm. The Driving Ban will NOT be lifted for Buffalo, Lackawanna, and Cheektowaga during the overnight hours. Lackawanna and Cheektowaga will be revisited in the morning; Buffalo will continue through tomorrow.”

•“As of 5pm, we have lifted driving bans for the Town and Village of Hamburg, Village of Blasdell, and Town of Clarence; driving advisories remain for all municipalities not under a driving ban. All of Erie County remains under a State of Emergency.”

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UPDATE: All travel bans lifted across Erie County

Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - The last remaining travel ban in Erie Couny was lifted when the City of Lackawanna reopened to traffic in full at 1 p.m. following a nightmarish weekend of lake effect snow and blizzad-lie conditions.

Additionally, all major roadways that were closed due to the weather conditions have been reopened, including the NYS Thruway, Route 400, Route 219 and the Skyway/Lakeshore complex

All Erie County travel bans lifted

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The travel bans that were put in place in Erie County on Wednesday due to the heavy lake effect snow were all lifted as of 8 a.m. Thursday.

READ MORE: All Erie County travel bans have been lifted, travel advisory remains in place for entire county

The travel ban that was in place for the City of North Tonawanda was lifted at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Governor Hochul released the following guidelines for traveling in winter weather:

• Do not drive unless necessary.
• If you must travel, make sure your car is stocked with survival gear like blankets, a shovel, a flashlight, extra batteries, extra warm clothing, a set of tire chains, battery booster cables, quick energy foods, and brightly colored cloth to use as a distress flag.
• If you have a cell phone or other communications device such as a two-way radio available for your use, keep the battery charged and keep it with you whenever traveling. If you should become stranded, you will be able to call for help, advising rescuers of your location.
• The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents. Before getting behind the wheel, make sure that your vehicle is clear of ice and snow; good vision is key to good driving. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert and remember that snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.
• It is important for motorists on all roads to note that snowplows travel at speeds up to 35 mph, which in many cases is lower than the posted speed limit, to ensure that salt being dispersed stays in the driving lanes and does not scatter off the roadways. Oftentimes on interstate highways, snowplows will operate side by side, as this is the most efficient and safe way to clear several lanes at one time.
• Motorists and pedestrians should also keep in mind that snowplow drivers have limited lines of sight, and the size and weight of snowplows can make it very difficult to maneuver and stop quickly. Snow blowing from behind the plow can severely reduce visibility or cause whiteout conditions. Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted. Never attempt to pass a snowplow while it is operating.

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Welcome to Erie County, NY

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz » POLONCARZ ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR ERIE COUNTY

POLONCARZ ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR ERIE COUNTY

Modified: January 9, 2024 10:19am

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Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz has issued a travel advisory for all of Erie County as a winter weather event is forecast to bring damaging winds to the region from today through tomorrow. The National Weather Service forecast calls for wind gusts of up to 70 mph possible near Lake Erie and from 60-65 mph for the rest of the area. Winds will be out of the southeast, instead of the normal southwest wind direction, which is expected to cause greater than normal tree damage. Residents and motorists should be aware of the risk of downed trees and power lines.

Road and Vehicle Safety:

• If a stop light is out, treat it as a 4-way stop. Go through the intersection with caution.
• Always assume power lines are live. NEVER drive over downed wires. If you are driving in an area with downed trees or utility poles, slow down, scan the road and stay away from any debris that may be caught in a downed wire.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning:

• Never use a generator inside your home or garage, even if doors and windows are open.
• Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows.
• Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.
• Seek immediate medical help if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseated.
• For more information: https://www.dhses.ny.gov/generator-safety

Always a good idea:

• Keep devices charged
• Stay up-to-date with weather forecasts
• Check on your neighbors
• For more winter weather preparedness tips: www.erie.gov/winter

Please share this information with people who may not see or understand this message.