The cranes atop 1 WTC remained secure through the storm

With the remnants of Hurricane Sandy moving past the New York and New Jersey regions today, Tuesday, October 30th, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Port Authority, Con Edison, and several more government agencies are working towards full recovery.

New York City Transit service remains suspended indefinitely since its Sunday night shutdown. MTA updates can be found here. PATH service also is suspended until further notice.

The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is fully closed this morning due to flooding, as is the FDR Drive from the Battery up to 155th Street. Staten Island Ferry service also remains suspended.

As of last night, seven subway tunnels under the East River flooded, said MTA Chairman Joe Lhota. The Hugh Carey Tunnel is flooded from end to end and the Queens Midtown Tunnel also took on water and was closed. We are assessing the extent of the damage and beginning the process of recovery. Our employees have shown remarkable dedication over the past few days, and I thank them on behalf of every New Yorker. 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 to help bring New York back to normal.

The Port Authority issued a statement yesterday confirming that there are no problems with any of the cranes at 1 World Trade Center or elsewhere on the site. The WTC cranes are properly secured, and the agency has staff members on site and in the building around the clock to monitor and report on any potential problems.

For up-to-date information about WTC construction, the areas airports, tunnels, bridges, PATH system, or any of the agency's facilities, visit its website here or visit the 1 WTC Facebook page.

New York City Power and Facilities

During the evening of October 29th, Con Edison reported that much of Lower Manhattan south of the Brooklyn Bridge was without electricity. As a preventative measure, the company cut service to two areas. The first is bounded by: Frankfort Street to the north; William Street to the west; Wall Street to the south; and the East River. The second area is bounded by Broadway to the west; Wall Street to the north; and the southern tip of Manhattan. The areas include about 6,500 customers.

The shutdown helped avoid extensive damage to company and customer equipment, and allow company crews to restore power to customers more quickly. People are asked to call 1-800-75-CON-ED (or 1-800-752-6633, for Con Ed) or 1-800-490-0075 (for LIPA) to report power outages.

The company will have to wait for floodwaters to fully recede before workers can enter some facilities to assess damage; high tide is at 12:30 p.m. today. As equipment is inspected and determined safe to energize, the highest priority for restoration will be given to critical customer facilities that have an impact on the general public such as mass transit, hospitals, police and fire stations, and sewage and water-pumping stations.

The mayor's Community Assistance Unit has issued several storm updates, and more information can always be found at www.nyc.gov.

As planned, New York City schools and Senior Centers are closed on Tuesday, October 29th.

City sanitation crews began cleaning up debris at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning. The city is asking that people report downed trees by calling 311. Do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.

Transportation

The State Department of Transportation (SDOT) advises motorists to avoid traveling if possible, leaving room for recovery teams to travel and to avoid flooded or closed roadways, and downed trees. Call 511 for the latest closures or visit www.511ny.org.

For more information about city roadways and bridges, visit the NYC DOT here.

The Hurricane Sandy Helpline is open for the public for information and emergency response: 1-888-769-7243 or 1-518-485-1159.

Motorists are reminded that if a traffic signal is dark because of a power outage, drivers should treat the intersection as a four-way stop with alternating traffic proceeding through the intersection. Additionally, motorists should never travel through standing water; it takes just two inches of flowing water to carry away a vehicle.

SDOT is preparing for the storm by readying equipment; organizing crews for tree chipping to remove down trees and limbs on roadways; identifying staff to conduct flood watches, monitoring bridges as water rises; and mobilizing staff to respond within each region of the state, including maintenance crews and damage inspection teams. Staff and equipment will be moved as necessary to assist in areas of the state that are hit by the storm.

Motorists are strongly urged to check 511NY before traveling to access current road conditions. The free service is available by calling 5-1-1, visiting www.511NY.org, or by via the new mobile app for smart phones. 511NY will have up-to-date information regarding road and bridge closures, as well as transit, commuter rail, and airport delays. The 511NY website features traffic and transit conditions in a map or list format. It is also available on Facebook and Twitter, which issues automatic updates as roads close and reopen.

Emergency Healthcare

The State Department of Health (DOH) has contacted each and every health care facility in Zone A in New York City. DOH staff has been sent to healthcare facilities in the Far Rockaways and Coney Island to support response efforts by assessing staffing, supplies, and patient safety efforts.

Visit the NYC Office of Emergency Management website for more information and the latest forecast details: www.nyc.gov/html/oem.

The Citys Severe Weather website also will continually update forecasts and post other emergency updates: www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/nycsevereweather/weather_home.shtml

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