Local transit braces for giant snowstorm

As Long Island expects heavy snowfall in the next several hours, local residents have already faced transit delays on all major routes and anticipate a rougher commute as the storm zeros in on the South Shore.

For people traveling on local roadways, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced via Twitter late Thursday afternoon that the Long Island Expressway will be closed from midnight until 5 a.m. on Friday in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Gov. Cuomo also said the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad will operate on reduced weekend schedules, providing about 60 percent of normal weekday service, on Friday and the weekend. Due to this limited schedule, Gov. Cuomo said the LIRR will not offer train service on the West Hempstead Branch or east of Ronkonkoma on the Ronkonkoma Branch.

“The safety of MTA riders and employees is the top priority of the MTA,” Gov. Cuomo said in an official statement. “MTA employees have been out sanding and salting platforms and walkways, but conditions can become difficult quickly during a winter storm. We encourage all who must travel tomorrow to step carefully on platforms and walkways and hold handrails when walking on steps.”

Before the snow fell on Thursday night, The LIRR began its preparation for the two-day blizzard late Wednesday when officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority dispatched a number of “alcohol trains” — or railcars that are equipped with anti-freeze chemicals to spray and thaw out train tracks — and activated switch heaters to keep the rails from freezing over. Officials added that train platforms have also been salted overnight across the rail system and at local train stations.

While the storm’s impact is speculative at this time, MTA officials said they are prepared to dispatch large snowplows — which have already been positioned at various points in the rail system — when the snowfall reaches a 5 inches range, and if it reaches 10 inches, potentially launch a “gradual suspension” of LIRR service.

In anticipating such a heavy snowfall on Friday, MTA officials advised commuters to allow extra travel time in getting to the train station in case of delays, and consider working from home to be more cautious.