With several feet of snow forecast for Western New York, the governor has issued an emergency order closing part of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) to trucks later today.
The Thruway will be closed to all commercial traffic from exit 46 (I-390) in Rochester to the Pennsylvania border as of 4 p.m. today, Thursday, Nov. 17.
A statement from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a state of emergency and said the state Department of Transportation was implementing a full commercial vehicle ban at the following locations beginning Thursday at 4 p.m.
- 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 the Canadian border - trucks use the right lane only
The statement said all commercial traffic heading eastbound on the Thruway must exit at exit 61 (Ripley - Shortman Rd). Commercial traffic heading westbound on the Thruway towards Pennsylvania from points east should use exit 46 (Rochester - I-390) for I-390 to I-86 West.
Lake effect snow is falling in Buffalo and in Watertown along I-81 at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. Forecasters are predicting between 2 and 4 feet of snow between now and Sunday.
