A monstrous winter storm is expected to hit the tri-state area on Sunday — dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas.
A weather event like the one that is anticipated for the region makes for incredibly dangerous driving and travel conditions. Because of this, local officials have devised plans for their public transportation system.
However, officials in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have a resounding constant message: if you do not need to travel…DON’T!
Here’s the latest in service changes among the tri-state area public transportation systems:
NEW YORK
On Friday, during a press conference about the expected winter storm that is headed to the tri-state area, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a hazardous travel advisory for Sunday and Monday — the expected peak and immediate aftermath of the storm.
“So if you need groceries. If you need a new winter coat — anything, frankly, that you are thinking about this weekend, today is the day to make that trip,” he said.
MTA
“The MTA will be operational this weekend,” MTA CEO Janno Lieber said during a Friday press conference pertaining to storm preparations. “Obviously, we have detailed plans in place for storms like this to protect the network, to protect our riders and to protect our employees. We pre-positioned a ton of equipment and personnel.”
According to Leiber, the MTA is prepared to tackle the storm and provide service for as long as possible, including for above-ground subway lines.
“The MTA workforce is always standing by and ready to deliver. We have 220 miles of subway that is out of doors. I don’t want to specify the lines, New Yorkers know what they are. We’ll be focused making sure that those continue to be operational with our snow fighting trains, with the de-icing system. We’ll have tow trucks ready for wherever they are needed. And the same goes for the commuter railroads…but in any case, the bus network is ready to pick up the slack, as it always does in these situations.”
According to the MTA website, service could be impacted depending on the severity of the storm when it hits the area.
The MTA said that its crews are prepping for the storm by “salting outdoor areas at stations, deploying snow-fighting equipment, and monitoring switches and tracks.”
“But we’re also taking precautions to ensure trains and buses can operate safely, and there will be service changes on subways, buses, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad this weekend,” the MTA said in a statement.
While the MTA said it will work to make sure their service is running in a safe manner, the agency still urges its customers not to travel during the height of the storm on Sunday and Monday if they do not need to do so.
While planned service changes this weekend are canceled because of the winter storm, there are still changes impacting the 7 and F line on Saturday, as well as the LIRR and Metro-North.
Below are some service information, including changes, as of Saturday afternoon. This information could change as the storm approaches.
Subway
Some express trains will make local stops this weekend ahead of the winter storm. Most service changes that were planned have been canceled because of the anticipated weather. Check the Weekender to see the list of changes.
Buses
Riders who use local buses should give themselves extra time because longer waits are expected.
“We’ll be pulling some buses from service to apply snow chains before the storm and removing articulated buses from service during the storm,” the MTA said in an issued statement.
Long Island Rail Road
The LIRR will run on a modified Sunday schedule, with the following changes:
- No service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport
- Half-hourly service on the Babylon Branch
The following planned service changes have been proactively canceled for this weekend and into next week:
- Brooklyn weekend service suspension
- Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Woodside westbound weekend bypassing
- Montauk weekday overnight busing
- Hempstead weekday midday westbound bypassing, Monday-only
Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad will operate hourly service on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines on Sunday. The New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury branches will run on their regular weekend schedules.
On Monday, trains will operate on a Saturday schedule with additional rush hour trains.
NEW JERSEY
During her State of Emergency declaration for New Jersey Friday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced that the state’s Department of Transportation “will issue a commercial vehicle restriction for all tractor trailers, empty straight CDL-weighted trucks, passenger vehicles pulling trailers, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, January 25, effective for the following roads:
- I-76 (entire length);
- I-78 (entire length);
- I-80 (entire length);
- I-195 (entire length);
- I-280 (entire length);
- I-287 (entire length);
- I-295 (entire length);
- I-676 (entire length); and
- New Jersey Route 440, both directions from the Outerbridge Crossing to I-287.”
Personnel carrying food, fuel and medical supplies are exempt. So are utility companies, public safety vehicles and essential personnel.
NJ TRANSIT
NJ Transit bus, light rail and Access Link services will be temporarily suspended systemwide starting at 4 a.m. Sunday.
Rail service will begin operating on a regular weekend schedule on Sunday and continue operating until 2 p.m., at which time rail service will be temporarily suspended. It is important for those who plan to use trains to know that “they will need to be on trains that get them to their final destination at or prior to 2 p.m. on Sunday,” NJ Transit said.
Service will remain suspended through the end of the service day Sunday and will remain so until conditions safely allow for for service to gradually restart.
Rail:
Trains will operate until 2 p.m. Sunday. The final trains to operate will be:
- Atlantic City Line:
- Train originating in Atlantic City: 4668 (9:18 AM departure)
- Train originating in Philadelphia: 4673 (11:28 AM departure)
- Main-Bergen County-Port Jervis Lines:
- Train originating in Port Jervis: 76 (10:57 AM departure)
- Train originating in Suffern: 1714 (12:09 PM departure)
- Train originating in Waldwick: 1862 (11:34 AM departure)
- Trains originating in Hoboken: 73 (11:20 AM departure), 1717 (12:24 PM departure to Suffern), 1867 (12:16 PM departure to Waldwick)
- Montclair-Boonton Line:
- Train originating at Bay Street: 522 (1:00 PM departure)
- Train originating in Hoboken: 523 (12:08 PM departure)
- Morris & Essex Lines (Midtown Direct):
- Train originating at Dover: 6922 (12:05 PM departure)
- Train originating in New York: 6923 (12:11 PM departure)
- Gladstone Branch (Midtown Direct):
- Train originating in Gladstone: 724 (12:50 PM departure)
- Train originating in Summit: 723 (1:08 PM departure)
- Northeast Corridor:
- Train originating at Trenton Transit Center: 7834 (12:18 PM departure)
- Train originating in New York: 7841 (12:15 PM departure)
- North Jersey Coast Line:
- Bay Head Shuttle Trains:
- Train originating in Bay Head: 4732 (11:20 AM departure)
- Train originating in Long Branch: 4737 (12:39 PM departure)
- Train originating in Long Branch to New York: 7232 (12:04 PM departure)
- Train originating in New York: 7241 (12:08 PM departure)
- Bay Head Shuttle Trains:
- Pascack Valley Line:
- Train originating in Spring Valley: 2112 (12:03 PM departure)
- Train originating in Hoboken: 2111 (12:13 PM departure)
- Princeton Dinky:
- Train originating at Princeton Station: 4238 (12:59 PM departure)
- Train originating at Princeton Junction: 4243 (1:36 PM departure)
- Raritan Valley Line:
- Train originating in Raritan: 5516 (11:14 AM departure)
- Train originating in Newark: 5521 (12:38 PM departure)
For the latest, up-to-date NJ Transit service and schedule information, click here.
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont advised motorists on Friday to avoid traveling Sunday during the winter storm.
“By noon on Sunday we are expecting snowfall to come down at very fast rates and continuing throughout the afternoon and evening and into the early hours of Monday morning, significantly impacting roads and creating whiteout conditions at times,” Lamont said in a statement. “We are strongly urging everyone to make plans in advance to avoid all unnecessary travel on Sunday. Our state snowplow fleet is prepared to clear the roads, and the fewer cars are out there the quicker and safer the snowplow crews can do their work.”
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