Erie County Travel Ban Reinstated For Parts Of Buffalo

Erie County has put the driving ban back in place for parts of Buffalo today, Friday, November 18, 2022. As conditions have begun to deteriorate again, the Erie County Executive, Mark Poloncarz, said he consulted with Mayor Byron Brown to make the decision,

After consulting with @MayorByronBrown, a TRAVEL BAN is being reinstituted for the City of Buffalo from William Street downtown to the Town of Cheektowaga line and everything south. PLEASE do not drive in or into this area. Conditions have deteriorated very quickly.

County officials said this morning, that the overnight travel ban helped them clear roads easier and prevented accidents, possibly deaths.

In addition to the driving ban for parts of Buffalo, I-90 is closed from exit 53 to 5. The Skyway (Route 5), the 400, and Route219 are also closed. Poloncarz tweeted the closures at 10:51 am today.

CURRENT ROAD CLOSURES:

@NYSThruway from Exits 53 (I-190) to 59 (Dunkirk)
Route 400 in its entirety
Route 219 from the Thruway (Exit 55) to Springville/Erie County Line
Skyway/Route 5 from Tifft Street to Downtown Buffalo

New York State Thruway To Close To Commercial Traffic Due To Snowstorm

Governor Kathy Hochul has already shut down the New York State Thruway to commercial traffic, so the ban will help keep the roads clear of unnecessary vehicles. As the storm is expected to bring 3 or more inches of snow per hour, visibility and driving conditions will become more treacherous tonight into tomorrow. This is a potentially deadly storm if people do not take heed and stay off the roads.

The New York State Department of Transportation has issued a full commercial vehicle ban starting Thursday at 4 pm.

Interstate 190 - Route 62 to I-90 Interstate 290 - full length Interstate 990 - full length Route 33 - full length Route 219 - Route 39 to I-90 Route 400 - full length Buffalo Skyway Route 5 - full length I-81 - Exit 33 to Canadian border - trucks use right lane only.

Gov. Hochul Warns Snowstorm Is Extreme, Major Event In Buffalo And WNY

During a press conference earlier today, Gov. Hochul said "be smart, be ready for the worst." WNYers should be ready to check in on their neighbors as the storm could go on for a number of days. She warned residents that the cleanup is going to take a while. The Gov. said that even though there are 350 plows, it is almost impossible to clear the roads to make it safe to travel.

Credit: Governor Kathy Hochul via Youtube

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