Connecticut lifted a ban on highway travel Tuesday morning, but the Metropolitan Transportation Authority did not immediately reopen Metro-North Railroad for commuter service after Hurricane Sandy dealt the worst blow on New York”™s subway system in more than a century of service.
Some Fairfield County towns separately warned residents to stay off the roads if possible due to downed trees and power lines.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said assessments would continue along the length of Metro North on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Amtrak likewise did not resume service Tuesday along its Northeast Corridor.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation said CTTransit service would not resume until noon Tuesday at the earliest, with the commuter bus line covering Stamford among its statewide service territory.
“I would anticipate we could get buses up and running fairly quickly either today or tomorrow,” Malloy said.
MTA reported that seven subway tunnels under the East River flooded the night of Monday, Oct. 29, as well as one used by the Long Island Rail Road.
Metro-North lost power from 59th Street to Croton-Harmon on the Hudson Line and to New Haven on the New Haven Line. In the hours before the storm, MTA workers removed switch motors, crossing barriers and other apparatus at risk of damage from flooding.
“We are assessing the extent of the damage and beginning the process of recovery,” said Joseph Lhota, MTA chairman, in a prepared statement. “In 108 years, our employees have never faced a challenge like the one that confronts us now. All of us at the MTA are committed to restoring the system as quickly as we can.”
Bradley International Airport outside Hartford was aiming for an 11 a.m. resumption of operations, but cautioned travelers to confirm any scheduled flights. As of Tuesday morning, regional airports in New York and New Jersey remained closed.
