New York State Thruway

[Zeffy]

I can safely say that in my 16 years of living in New Jersey, I have never seen that much snow. Boy, what a mess. I can't imagine what traffic will be like with the Thruway still closed (that is, if the snow doesn't make it so people can't even leave their houses).

[TheStranger]

A Buffalo News piece on some of the folks who have been stuck on the closed Thruway for over a day:

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/stuck-35-hours-on-thruway-he-just-feels-abandoned-20141119

[cl94]

Are there fears of flooding when all of this melts? This seems like it could get bad.

Yes. A little before Christmas last year, there was a large meltdown and much of the area was flooded. Of course, Christmas was very cold, so it all froze over and made Clarence and West Seneca into giant ice rinks. Difference was that we had much less snow then. It's not supposed to be in the 60s anymore, so hopefully, it won't melt as fast as originally expected. I doubt that everything will have a chance to melt, even with 2 days of rain expected, just because it'll get cold overnight and there's too much, so ice will be a big issue.
NYSDOT has brought in a few blowers from the North Country to get stuff clear and there are an additional ~150 plows and ~350 crews.

I can safely say that in my 16 years of living in New Jersey, I have never seen that much snow. Boy, what a mess. I can't imagine what traffic will be like with the Thruway still closed (that is, if the snow doesn't make it so people can't even leave their houses).

People in the affected area couldn't leave their houses even if there wasn't a driving ban. It's crazy up here. NYSTA just got to everyone who was stranded and half of the abandoned cars are still on the Thruway. NY 5 and US 20 are closed (idiot truckers were using it during the storm and got stuck, blocking everything up). Only ways into Buffalo are through Ontario or NY 104/18.

[Pete from Boston]

And this isn't even one of The Weather Channel's named storms...

Looks like we'll have to make a name.  I propose Elsa.  The one over Watertown can be called Ingrid (go watch Once Upon a Time if you don't get why).

Already named. "Knife". Pretty dumb name, but I didn't expect much more from politicians.

Politicians don't name winter storms, The Weather Channel does.

Naming winter storms is asinine. 

[route17fan]

Politicians don't name winter storms, The Weather Channel does.

Naming winter storms is asinine.
[/quote]

Amen!  I can't stand them for doing that!

[cl94]

And this isn't even one of The Weather Channel's named storms...

Looks like we'll have to make a name.  I propose Elsa.  The one over Watertown can be called Ingrid (go watch Once Upon a Time if you don't get why).

Already named. "Knife". Pretty dumb name, but I didn't expect much more from politicians.

Politicians don't name winter storms, The Weather Channel does.

Naming winter storms is asinine.

Except the politicians did name it. FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

[Pete from Boston]

And this isn't even one of The Weather Channel's named storms...

Looks like we'll have to make a name.  I propose Elsa.  The one over Watertown can be called Ingrid (go watch Once Upon a Time if you don't get why).

Already named. "Knife". Pretty dumb name, but I didn't expect much more from politicians.

Politicians don't name winter storms, The Weather Channel does.

Naming winter storms is asinine.

Except the politicians did name it. FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

I thought FEMA was embarrassed into competence after Katrina. 

[roadman]

Except the politicians did name it. FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

Do you have an actual citation for that?

[cl94]

And this isn't even one of The Weather Channel's named storms...

Looks like we'll have to make a name.  I propose Elsa.  The one over Watertown can be called Ingrid (go watch Once Upon a Time if you don't get why).

Already named. "Knife". Pretty dumb name, but I didn't expect much more from politicians.

Politicians don't name winter storms, The Weather Channel does.

Naming winter storms is asinine.

Except the politicians did name it. FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

I thought FEMA was embarrassed into competence after Katrina.

Lolololol. They hate giving New York money for anything. For all we know, that requirement only exists for us.

[Pete from Boston]

Naming winter storms is asinine.

True.

Except the politicians did name it.

True.

FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

False.

Meanwhile, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said county leaders are looking at the possibility of applying for federal disaster aid to help dig out. They have named the storm that's killed at least six people "knife"  because it cut "in the heart of Erie County."

Although Poloncarz said the storm needed to be named to qualify for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials with that agency say that's not the case.

"FEMA does not require names for winter storms,"  said Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service. "They follow the protocol of the National Weather Service, and we do not name winter storms."

The Weather Channel independently often names winter storms, Buchanan said.

[Dougtone]

Hmmm...the Buffalo Bills are home Sunday at 1 PM with the New York Jets. Having never been west of Cooperstown, I must ask this question: Does the Thruway get relatively close to Orchard Park or the stadium?

Stadium is between US 219 and the Thruway a couple miles south of their intersection. They probably have at least 4-5 feet right now. They're getting pounded, but they'll have everything clear by Saturday. That's pretty certain. Don't know about the side streets, so the stands might be empty, but I bet it'll be on (at least I hope it is, as I have tickets).

Of course, now the Bills are trying to find interested people to shovel snow in time for the game, 500 people to be exact.
http://tinyurl.com/mu27lbt

[cl94]

FEMA won't provide assistance unless it's named.

False.

Meanwhile, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said county leaders are looking at the possibility of applying for federal disaster aid to help dig out. They have named the storm that's killed at least six people "knife"  because it cut "in the heart of Erie County."

Although Poloncarz said the storm needed to be named to qualify for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials with that agency say that's not the case.

"FEMA does not require names for winter storms,"  said Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service. "They follow the protocol of the National Weather Service, and we do not name winter storms."

I was just going by the news conference. Doesn't shock me that he got something wrong.

Hmmm...the Buffalo Bills are home Sunday at 1 PM with the New York Jets. Having never been west of Cooperstown, I must ask this question: Does the Thruway get relatively close to Orchard Park or the stadium?

Stadium is between US 219 and the Thruway a couple miles south of their intersection. They probably have at least 4-5 feet right now. They're getting pounded, but they'll have everything clear by Saturday. That's pretty certain. Don't know about the side streets, so the stands might be empty, but I bet it'll be on (at least I hope it is, as I have tickets).

Of course, now the Bills are trying to find interested people to shovel snow in time for the game, 500 people to be exact.
http://tinyurl.com/mu27lbt

500 is a recommended minimum. They won't turn people away. $10 an hour and free tickets to the game. I'd head down, even though I already have tickets, if there weren't widespread driving bans.

[The Nature Boy]

Could the game be postponed or would that create other scheduling difficulties?

I feel like the team should have a plan B for if they can't get this cleaned up.

[KEVIN_224]

One place that's out for Sunday is MetLife Stadium, since the Giants host Dallas at 8:30 PM Eastern. AHL and college hockey are already being played this weekend at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

[Zeffy]

Could the game be postponed or would that create other scheduling difficulties?

I feel like the team should have a plan B for if they can't get this cleaned up.

NY Gov. Cuomo thinks it's impractical to play the game based on the conditions present in the Buffalo area. I mean, can't say he's totally wrong, since more snow is going to fall and many major highways remain closed, but...

[The Nature Boy]

Could the game be postponed or would that create other scheduling difficulties?

I feel like the team should have a plan B for if they can't get this cleaned up.

NY Gov. Cuomo thinks it's impractical to play the game based on the conditions present in the Buffalo area. I mean, can't say he's totally wrong, since more snow is going to fall and many major highways remain closed, but...

What's going on in Toronto on Sunday? That wouldn't be a terrible alternative.

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

[cl94]

Could the game be postponed or would that create other scheduling difficulties?

I feel like the team should have a plan B for if they can't get this cleaned up.

NY Gov. Cuomo thinks it's impractical to play the game based on the conditions present in the Buffalo area. I mean, can't say he's totally wrong, since more snow is going to fall and many major highways remain closed, but...

What's going on in Toronto on Sunday? That wouldn't be a terrible alternative.

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

They'd lose home field advantage and even Canadians don't want games up there. The issue isn't that the stadium is full of snow. It's that nobody can leave their house because of 7-10 foot drifts, few streets have been plowed, and there's a driving ban. All of the players are stuck at home. Nobody could get to the game unless they used helicopters and even then they haven't had a chance to practice all week.

Thruway is closed indefinitely and several towns it passes through have indefinite driving bans. You can't go anywhere near Buffalo unless you plan to go through Canada. State of emergency, 8 people have died, and the snow is still falling. My parents have gotten close to 7 feet of actual snowfall as of this morning and they'll likely get another foot. To give you an idea, they might be able to get out on Saturday and even that's a big "if".

At this point, it's all in the NFL's hands. Only they can make a decision regarding whether or not the game will be played. If it can't be played Sunday, it'll be moved a couple days back.

[Zeffy]

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

I would think the Thruway should at least partially re-open during the weekend depending on the weather today and tomorrow. That being said, you might want to take I-86 or even utilize I-80 if you are trying to head northeast. Any particular places you are going to visit?

[The Nature Boy]

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

I would think the Thruway should at least partially re-open during the weekend depending on the weather today and tomorrow. That being said, you might want to take I-86 or even utilize I-80 if you are trying to head northeast. Any particular places you are going to visit?

Boston so I eventually need to connect to the Mass Pike. I'm considering a couple of routes:

I-90 to I-86 to I-88 to the Thruway in Albany.

Taking I-80 into Pennsylvania to I-81, then jumping onto I-84 and connecting with the Mass Pike in Central MA. 

[vdeane]

Just curious - does the University staff/faculty live on campus or no?

Heck no. A little under 1/4 lives within a couple miles, but many live within the areas most affected. I have professors who live an hour away and commute in. It got to the point where bus service was stopped, half of the food places are closed because they don't have the workers while those that remain open are short-staffed, travel bans are causing eateries in academic buildings to run out of food, and everything involving people from outside the University except the football game was cancelled.

Come to think of it, are there any plans in place to make sure people don't starve?  I'm sure many homes are running out of food if UB is!

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

I would think the Thruway should at least partially re-open during the weekend depending on the weather today and tomorrow. That being said, you might want to take I-86 or even utilize I-80 if you are trying to head northeast. Any particular places you are going to visit?

Boston so I eventually need to connect to the Mass Pike. I'm considering a couple of routes:

I-90 to I-86 to I-88 to the Thruway in Albany.

Taking I-80 into Pennsylvania to I-81, then jumping onto I-84 and connecting with the Mass Pike in Central MA. 

The Thruway is just fine east of I-390.  The heavy snowfall is pretty concentrated.

[The Nature Boy]

Just curious - does the University staff/faculty live on campus or no?

Heck no. A little under 1/4 lives within a couple miles, but many live within the areas most affected. I have professors who live an hour away and commute in. It got to the point where bus service was stopped, half of the food places are closed because they don't have the workers while those that remain open are short-staffed, travel bans are causing eateries in academic buildings to run out of food, and everything involving people from outside the University except the football game was cancelled.

Come to think of it, are there any plans in place to make sure people don't starve?  I'm sure many homes are running out of food if UB is!

On a more selfish note, I am currently hanging out in Chicago. I was thinking of driving to the Northeast this weekend before heading south. I assume that the NY Thruway is a no-go for travel for at least the next week, right?

I would think the Thruway should at least partially re-open during the weekend depending on the weather today and tomorrow. That being said, you might want to take I-86 or even utilize I-80 if you are trying to head northeast. Any particular places you are going to visit?

Boston so I eventually need to connect to the Mass Pike. I'm considering a couple of routes:

I-90 to I-86 to I-88 to the Thruway in Albany.

Taking I-80 into Pennsylvania to I-81, then jumping onto I-84 and connecting with the Mass Pike in Central MA. 

The Thruway is just fine east of I-390.  The heavy snowfall is pretty concentrated.

Would you recommend just taking the Southern Tier Expressway then?

[02 Park Ave]

The way this is being handled is becoming a black-eye for the NFL.  Here we have a serious emergency situation and all the Bills can do is talk about trying to play a football game in the middle of it!

Regarding Toronto, the CFL Eastern final game is being played in Hamilton on Sunday.  So Toronto may be available but an NFL invasion that day would be bad form.

Cleveland is away but how can the Bills players even get there?

If the game is never played it wouldn't affect the top of the table standings anyway.

[The Nature Boy]

The big logistical question here is:

If the NFL decides to move the game, who goes to the game? If the Bills play in Toronto, they still have to sell tickets to someone. And what of the people who already bought tickets?

It's a messy situation all around. The best solution is to postpone the game on Sunday but even that opens up logistical questions.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Nittany Stadium?  I think it's bigger.

[thenetwork]

I had just heard that there are now plans to postpone the game to Monday Night and to move it to a neutral stadium (Detroit, Pittsburgh and FedEx Field in DC were mentioned).

I wonder if Browns fans would now want to go to Buffalo to shovel snow in the stadium for free tix to next week's Browns/Buffalo game and get some extra $$ for beer, since there probably won't be any home game this week?