Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today urged New Yorkers to prepare for heavy snow which will impact the entire state, especially the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island regions late Wednesday, February 8 into Thursday, February 9. Heavy, wet snow, along with strong gusting winds are expected early Thursday morning, which will transition to dry, powdery snow Thursday afternoon. In anticipation of the winter storm, Governor Cuomo has directed state transportation authorities to take measures to ensure roadways remain as safe as possible for motorists across New York.

"As Mother Nature once again tests the resilience and strength of this state, I urge New Yorkers to plan ahead, stay informed, and above all, stay safe this weekend," Governor Cuomo said. “I have directed state agencies to closely monitor conditions and to clear roadways as quickly as possible in order to avoid accidents and keep our roadways safe. I encourage everyone in the path of these storms to use extra caution and avoid unnecessary travel during these hazardous weather conditions."

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Bridges and Tunnels: Command Center is activating additional weather desks and monitoring conditions continuously to ensure efficient deployment of personnel and resources. Electronic weather sensors are functional and all facilities have the ability to monitor weather and roadway conditions. There are more than 9,000 tons of roadway de-icer on hand and more than 100 pieces of storm fighting equipment including trucks and plows are ready.

Subways and Buses: New York City Transit will monitor conditions for subways and buses continuously via its “Incident Command Center” (ICC) situation room, and up to 2,900 snow-clearing personnel will be on duty for the storm, staged throughout the system and working 12-hour shifts. Snow-fighting equipment will include more than 1,000 snow melting devices at switches, about 1,500 3rd rail heaters, about 80 “scraper shoes” on trains, 10 snowthrowers, four jetblowers, and seven de-icer train cars. Buses will have tires chained. There will be a 20 percent reduction in local, limited and SBS bus service during the Thursday morning rush. Express subway service on  will end early Thursday night and begin later to facilitate underground storage of trains on express tracks. Previously planned subway maintenance, rehabilitation and construction projects (such as FASTRACK) will be canceled Wednesday overnight and Thursday.

Paratransit: Customers may experience additional travel and wait times. Depending upon conditions, customers may want to reconsider travel, unless medically necessary. For Access-A-Ride paratransit service, a dashboard storm monitoring system is in place to track immobilized vehicles and customers.

Railroads: Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road are deploying extra staff, specialized equipment, and continuously monitoring conditions ahead of the storm. This includes up to 360 snowblowers, up to 35 pickup truck plows, and up to 7 rail-bound jets. Before a winter storm, snow fighting equipment is winterized, tested and positioned strategically throughout both railroads to start operation as soon as snow accumulations begin. Protective heat circuits are verified to be operational, air brake lines are purged of any moisture to prevent them from freezing, electric trains are fitted with special third rail shoes to prevent snow from accumulating, exposed shoes are treated with de-icer, and exposed couplers are covered to keep snow out. Door panels are also sprayed with an anti-freeze agent and rescue equipment is fueled. Scheduled track work will be canceled to allow personnel to concentrate efforts on storm preparation and response. During the storm, anti-freeze trains will be deployed throughout the systems to spray de-icer on the third rail in an effort to prevent ice-build-up, and non-passenger patrol trains will operate along the right-of-way to prevent snowdrifts from forming on the tracks. At stations, extra personnel will pre-salt platforms before the storm and clear platforms of snow during and after the storm. Waiting rooms will be kept open around the clock to provide shelter for customers waiting for trains.

All MTA customers are encouraged to:

• Check www.mta.info for updates, including modified emergency schedules.
  · Sign up for email and text message alerts.
  · Follow MTA on Facebookand Twitter.
  · Listen to television and radio news to also find out how train service is affected by the weather.
  · Call the the Customer Information Center at 511 (in Connecticut call 877-690-5114). The Information Center will have a taped message upfront describing current service conditions. This is an important element in keeping you informed. The volume of calls at the Information Center will increase dramatically during a weather emergency, and you will likely experience delays getting through to a representative.
  · Listen for public address announcements at stations and on board trains if you are already traveling.
  · Always watch your step and watch for icy conditions in station parking lots, and on station sidewalks, stairs, and platforms. Remember: Ice tends to form more quickly on train platforms than on other surfaces. Even if a platform looks clear, it can have icy patches.
  · Always use stair handrails. Water dripping from coats, boots, and umbrellas can ice up with the slightest temperature drop, making stairs very slippery. A firm grip on a handrail can prevent serious injury.
  · Always watch for slippery conditions, even after you board your train. Snow, slush, and ice from boots make train floors slippery.
  · Always avoid moving from car to car. Icy conditions exist in the areas between cars.
  · Use caution driving to and from stations.