| Buffalo News | - |
ALBANY
- Officials said major roads shuttered since this week's historic
snowstorm hit the region will re-open at 3 p.m., but they warned
motorists to remain off the highways that, for now, will be limited to
“essential” travel.
Heavy snow plus rain could spell more trouble for Buffalo homeowners
Cuomo announces reopening of state roads but asks residents to ‘stay in your homes’
on November 21, 2014 - 11:43 AM
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ALBANY – Officials said major roads shuttered since this week’s
historic snowstorm hit the region will re-open at 3 p.m., but they
warned motorists to remain off the highways that, for now, will be
limited to “essential” travel.
“Stay in your homes,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said of the affected areas in the region.
The governor said state roads to re-open this afternoon are the Niagara Thruway, the Youngmann Highway and routes 219 and 400.
Officials, however, want them used until further notice by snow and car-clearing equipment, emergency vehicles and trucks delivering food and vital healthcare supplies.
The state Thruway, littered with stranded cars and trucks earlier this week, will also re-open in portions, but with the same rules aimed at keeping “non-essential’’ vehicles away. Cuomo said the Thruway from exits 46 to 50 will re-open; from exits 51 to 61, the road will open but the exits along that stretch will remain closed.
While the snow has stopped falling, the worries now turn to flooding, which County Executive Mark Poloncarz said is expected to begin Sunday and last into Tuesday.
Poloncarz said some low-lying areas could see 6 feet of water.
“Where? We can’t tell you,” Cuomo said.
But he said agencies are bracing for more flooding in the area than seen “in a long, long time.”
Cuomo, Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown gave the updates in a morning press conference in Cheektowaga.
The storm’s death toll has now reached 13 with the announcement this morning that police in Cheektowaga had found a man dead in his snow-buried car. Poloncarz said he wishes he could say no more dead people will be found in cars scattered along roadways in the region, but he can’t.
Brown said only one person, a 75-year-old woman found in her home last night in good condition, was reported missing in the city.
Officials used the briefing to thank residents for staying in their homes, even if they are going “a little stir-crazy,” as Poloncarz said.
Officials also offered thanks to the crews that have been dispatched from other communities across the state and nearby states.
Cuomo warned residents, with the massive snow loads, to call authorities and prepare to immediately leave their homes if they hear any strange noises – creaking or groaning – coming from their roofs.
Cuomo said he also talked to President Obama on Thursday about the situation, who he said “sent us his best wishes.’’ He said the federal government “wants to be helpful” with FEMA reimbursements for government costs associated with the costs of the storm, but that it’s too early to determine potential costs. But he said the state plans on lumping together costs of the storm and the expected flooding for the purposes of a federal aid application.
“The president wants us to know he’s thinking about us,” Cuomo said.
The officials also sought to allay concerns – and anger – by area residents who are not happy with the pace of the snow removal. Brown said the city has been able to get snow removal equipment into 94 percent of South Buffalo with trucks carrying out more than 32,000 tons of snow. On county roads, Poloncarz said 1,800 lane miles of Erie’s 2,400 lane miles of roadways were affected by the storm and that 5,000 workers are in the area working on storm response efforts.
“We know there’s still problem areas,” Poloncarz said.
Cuomo, who was to tour South Buffalo, said he understands some people might be concerned that some areas are getting plowed out more rapidly than others. But he said there was a pecking order to how the job is being done. “The prioritization was public safety and public health first before convenience,” he said.
Cuomo this morning also issued an executive order to ensure area residents are able to obtain their prescription drugs. The order lifts certain restrictions, including ones implemented in the state’s I-STOP program aimed at controlled substances. Patients will be able to get prescriptions refilled at additional pharmacies, permits early prescription re-fills, allows prescriptions for certain controlled substances to be more easily filled and lets patients transfer prescriptions from a hospital or nursing home if they are moved in an emergency.
As seen in other natural disasters in the state, Cuomo’s executive order also includes easing rules so hospitals and other health care facilities have more temporary staffing flexibility until their employees, still snowed in at home, are able to return to work. A series of paperwork requirements, so as those that take additional staff time admitting and discharging patients, are also being relaxed.
The executive order expires Dec. 1.
email: tprecious@buffnews.com
end quote from:
“Stay in your homes,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said of the affected areas in the region.
The governor said state roads to re-open this afternoon are the Niagara Thruway, the Youngmann Highway and routes 219 and 400.
Officials, however, want them used until further notice by snow and car-clearing equipment, emergency vehicles and trucks delivering food and vital healthcare supplies.
The state Thruway, littered with stranded cars and trucks earlier this week, will also re-open in portions, but with the same rules aimed at keeping “non-essential’’ vehicles away. Cuomo said the Thruway from exits 46 to 50 will re-open; from exits 51 to 61, the road will open but the exits along that stretch will remain closed.
While the snow has stopped falling, the worries now turn to flooding, which County Executive Mark Poloncarz said is expected to begin Sunday and last into Tuesday.
Poloncarz said some low-lying areas could see 6 feet of water.
“Where? We can’t tell you,” Cuomo said.
But he said agencies are bracing for more flooding in the area than seen “in a long, long time.”
Cuomo, Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown gave the updates in a morning press conference in Cheektowaga.
The storm’s death toll has now reached 13 with the announcement this morning that police in Cheektowaga had found a man dead in his snow-buried car. Poloncarz said he wishes he could say no more dead people will be found in cars scattered along roadways in the region, but he can’t.
Brown said only one person, a 75-year-old woman found in her home last night in good condition, was reported missing in the city.
Officials used the briefing to thank residents for staying in their homes, even if they are going “a little stir-crazy,” as Poloncarz said.
Officials also offered thanks to the crews that have been dispatched from other communities across the state and nearby states.
Cuomo warned residents, with the massive snow loads, to call authorities and prepare to immediately leave their homes if they hear any strange noises – creaking or groaning – coming from their roofs.
Cuomo said he also talked to President Obama on Thursday about the situation, who he said “sent us his best wishes.’’ He said the federal government “wants to be helpful” with FEMA reimbursements for government costs associated with the costs of the storm, but that it’s too early to determine potential costs. But he said the state plans on lumping together costs of the storm and the expected flooding for the purposes of a federal aid application.
“The president wants us to know he’s thinking about us,” Cuomo said.
The officials also sought to allay concerns – and anger – by area residents who are not happy with the pace of the snow removal. Brown said the city has been able to get snow removal equipment into 94 percent of South Buffalo with trucks carrying out more than 32,000 tons of snow. On county roads, Poloncarz said 1,800 lane miles of Erie’s 2,400 lane miles of roadways were affected by the storm and that 5,000 workers are in the area working on storm response efforts.
“We know there’s still problem areas,” Poloncarz said.
Cuomo, who was to tour South Buffalo, said he understands some people might be concerned that some areas are getting plowed out more rapidly than others. But he said there was a pecking order to how the job is being done. “The prioritization was public safety and public health first before convenience,” he said.
Cuomo this morning also issued an executive order to ensure area residents are able to obtain their prescription drugs. The order lifts certain restrictions, including ones implemented in the state’s I-STOP program aimed at controlled substances. Patients will be able to get prescriptions refilled at additional pharmacies, permits early prescription re-fills, allows prescriptions for certain controlled substances to be more easily filled and lets patients transfer prescriptions from a hospital or nursing home if they are moved in an emergency.
As seen in other natural disasters in the state, Cuomo’s executive order also includes easing rules so hospitals and other health care facilities have more temporary staffing flexibility until their employees, still snowed in at home, are able to return to work. A series of paperwork requirements, so as those that take additional staff time admitting and discharging patients, are also being relaxed.
The executive order expires Dec. 1.
email: tprecious@buffnews.com
end quote from:
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