Wind Chills Below Zero Expected in New York City Friday Night 

Partial Ban on Tractor-Trailers to Be Implemented on MTA Bridges 

With extreme cold temperatures and wind chills below zero forecast to hit the New York metropolitan area on Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today advised customers of steps being taken to ensure the safety of customers and continuation of operations. 

Long Island Rail Road 

Long Island Rail Road will add personnel to monitor the impact of the extreme cold on tracks and key switching locations and make adjustments/repairs as needed.  Station waiting rooms will be opened earlier and will remain open overnight during the cold snap. 

Metro-North Railroad 

Metro-North will conduct cold weather track patrols and increase Power Department and Communication and Signal employee coverage to inspect, maintain, and repair any weather/temperature-related damages or impacts, as needed. 

New York City Transit 

NYC Transit Department of Safety will have additional personnel monitoring real-time conditions -- ready to respond to weather-related issues as they arise. 

NYC Transit Department of Buses will have all locations with outside parking cycle buses per the cold weather policy to ensure fleet readiness. Additional Depot and Road Operations personnel will be on hand to minimize any service or equipment interruptions that may arise. 

MTA Bridges and Tunnels 

With high winds expected in addition to cold temperatures, MTA Bridges and Tunnels will be implementing a ban on empty tractor-trailers and tandem (piggyback, dual, triple, etc.) trucks from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. The pedestrian walkways at the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges will also be closed during this time. The pedestrian walkways at the Robert F. Kennedy and Henry Hudson bridges will remain open weather permitting.