This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/nyregion/nyc-snowstorm-traffic-commute.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| ‘Not a Soul Taking Control’: How a Storm in the New York Area Upended the Night | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| On Friday morning, the snow from an early winter storm started to melt, and people in and around New York City wanted answers from their government officials. | On Friday morning, the snow from an early winter storm started to melt, and people in and around New York City wanted answers from their government officials. |
| But on Thursday night, they were just trying to get home. | But on Thursday night, they were just trying to get home. |
| The region was crippled by snow and ice, with the effects ranging from felled tree branches in city neighborhoods to children trapped on school buses for hours. In New Jersey, one person died after an accident involving a train and a car, said Gov. Philip D. Murphy. | The region was crippled by snow and ice, with the effects ranging from felled tree branches in city neighborhoods to children trapped on school buses for hours. In New Jersey, one person died after an accident involving a train and a car, said Gov. Philip D. Murphy. |
| [The New York area was nearly paralyzed by six inches of snow. What went wrong?] | [The New York area was nearly paralyzed by six inches of snow. What went wrong?] |
| As residents recovered and demanded an explanation, The Times asked readers to share their experiences. We’re continuing to collect information and provide updates as they become available. | As residents recovered and demanded an explanation, The Times asked readers to share their experiences. We’re continuing to collect information and provide updates as they become available. |
| It usually takes Brian G. Andersson about 45 minutes to travel the five miles from his office in one part of the Bronx to his home in Woodlawn. | It usually takes Brian G. Andersson about 45 minutes to travel the five miles from his office in one part of the Bronx to his home in Woodlawn. |
| On Thursday night, the trip took 10 and a half hours. | |
| The journey started around 5 p.m., Mr. Andersson said. While he usually travels by subway or bus, he and his wife had planned to see a movie in Yonkers, and so she drove to pick him up. | The journey started around 5 p.m., Mr. Andersson said. While he usually travels by subway or bus, he and his wife had planned to see a movie in Yonkers, and so she drove to pick him up. |
| They didn’t make the screening. By the time Mr. Andersson left, the snow was heavy enough that they decided to head home. The problem was how to get there. | They didn’t make the screening. By the time Mr. Andersson left, the snow was heavy enough that they decided to head home. The problem was how to get there. |
| As they drove south on Grand Concourse, Mr. Andersson and his wife looked on Waze and Google Maps to find the least-clogged cross street to take them to the Major Deegan Expressway. They didn’t have much luck. | As they drove south on Grand Concourse, Mr. Andersson and his wife looked on Waze and Google Maps to find the least-clogged cross street to take them to the Major Deegan Expressway. They didn’t have much luck. |
| “You were afraid to go anywhere else,” he said, “because when you consulted your devices, it was showing you these horrible red lines telling you couldn’t move.” | “You were afraid to go anywhere else,” he said, “because when you consulted your devices, it was showing you these horrible red lines telling you couldn’t move.” |
| Eventually, they detoured around Yankee Stadium and headed toward home. They wouldn’t arrive until 3:30 the next morning. | Eventually, they detoured around Yankee Stadium and headed toward home. They wouldn’t arrive until 3:30 the next morning. |
| “There were points when you wanted to get out of the car and scream your lungs out,” he said. “There was not a soul taking control and directing things.” | “There were points when you wanted to get out of the car and scream your lungs out,” he said. “There was not a soul taking control and directing things.” |
| The crowding at Port Authority was so bad at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday that Kim Hoyos, 23, initially wondered if there had been an incident. | The crowding at Port Authority was so bad at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday that Kim Hoyos, 23, initially wondered if there had been an incident. |
| “I thought someone had a heart attack or some sort of accident,” she said, “or there was a fight or something.” | “I thought someone had a heart attack or some sort of accident,” she said, “or there was a fight or something.” |
| Ms. Hoyos, who lives in Parsippany, N.J., left her office in Times Square early to try and catch an earlier bus. By the time she arrived at Port Authority, she said, the escalators to upper floors of the bus station had already been blocked. | Ms. Hoyos, who lives in Parsippany, N.J., left her office in Times Square early to try and catch an earlier bus. By the time she arrived at Port Authority, she said, the escalators to upper floors of the bus station had already been blocked. |
| With Twitter slow to load on her phone, she wasn’t sure whether her bus route had been canceled or delayed. So she waited it out, staying at the bus station for more than two hours as she tried to get more information. | With Twitter slow to load on her phone, she wasn’t sure whether her bus route had been canceled or delayed. So she waited it out, staying at the bus station for more than two hours as she tried to get more information. |
| “I kept bargaining with myself,” Ms. Hoyos said. “Like, if I stay here, at least I’d get things faster.” | “I kept bargaining with myself,” Ms. Hoyos said. “Like, if I stay here, at least I’d get things faster.” |
| As more people kept arriving, the whole area began to feel “very, very claustrophobic,” she said. Then she started to see law enforcement officials closing doors. | As more people kept arriving, the whole area began to feel “very, very claustrophobic,” she said. Then she started to see law enforcement officials closing doors. |
| “I got really freaked out,” she said. “They were trying to limit foot traffic, but there was no announcement I heard about that, so that was a bit anxiety-inducing.” | “I got really freaked out,” she said. “They were trying to limit foot traffic, but there was no announcement I heard about that, so that was a bit anxiety-inducing.” |
| Eventually, she gave up on her commute and sought refuge with a friend in Brooklyn, where she spent the night. | Eventually, she gave up on her commute and sought refuge with a friend in Brooklyn, where she spent the night. |
| That part of her journey, she said, was easy. | That part of her journey, she said, was easy. |
| “We took the train to Brooklyn and grabbed an Uber,” Ms. Hoyos said. “No trouble at all.” | “We took the train to Brooklyn and grabbed an Uber,” Ms. Hoyos said. “No trouble at all.” |
| Chibani Bennasr, 39, a New York taxi driver, said he got stuck on a block of East 46th Street for an hour and a half after snow and falling tree branches stopped traffic. | |
| His passenger hopped out of the yellow cab after 20 minutes. That left Mr. Bennasr alone in the car, he said, where he played games on his phone to try to relieve the stress. | |
| “The whole city was a parking lot,” he said. “It was bad. You want to move but you can’t move. I see people getting frustrated. If I get frustrated, I’ll probably have a heart attack.” | |
| Mr. Bennasr said that when the traffic started moving again, he decided to call it a night and return home to Jersey City. It took him two more hours to get there. | |
| All told, he said, he lost $80 because of the storm. | |
| “I’d rather pay from my own pocket than sit there and deal with the frustration,” Mr. Bennasr said. | |
| Leah Epstein was living in New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy. She has experienced major snowstorms and commuted through their aftermaths. | Leah Epstein was living in New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy. She has experienced major snowstorms and commuted through their aftermaths. |
| And still, she said, she has never experienced anything like her drive home on Thursday evening. | And still, she said, she has never experienced anything like her drive home on Thursday evening. |
| “It was hell on earth,” she said. | “It was hell on earth,” she said. |
| Ms. Epstein, a horse trainer, works at a farm about 10 miles from her home in High Bridge, N.J. If she times it right, she can make the trip in 18 minutes. On Thursday, it took her more than four hours. | Ms. Epstein, a horse trainer, works at a farm about 10 miles from her home in High Bridge, N.J. If she times it right, she can make the trip in 18 minutes. On Thursday, it took her more than four hours. |
| “I was extremely grateful I had not had another cup of coffee before I left work,” she said on Friday. “Because I was literally trying to figure out how, if I had to pee, I was going to get out of the car.” | “I was extremely grateful I had not had another cup of coffee before I left work,” she said on Friday. “Because I was literally trying to figure out how, if I had to pee, I was going to get out of the car.” |
| Across New York City, especially in Manhattan, people woke up on Friday to arboreal carnage. | Across New York City, especially in Manhattan, people woke up on Friday to arboreal carnage. |
| Trees and their limbs were strewn across streets and sidewalks, blocking traffic and pedestrians. And even as the snow began to melt, the branches and piles of soggy leaves remained. | Trees and their limbs were strewn across streets and sidewalks, blocking traffic and pedestrians. And even as the snow began to melt, the branches and piles of soggy leaves remained. |
| City officials had received close to 1,700 service requests related to damaged trees by 11 a.m. on Friday, according to the New York City parks commissioner, Mitchell J. Silver. Of those requests, roughly 600 of them were for trees that had fallen. | City officials had received close to 1,700 service requests related to damaged trees by 11 a.m. on Friday, according to the New York City parks commissioner, Mitchell J. Silver. Of those requests, roughly 600 of them were for trees that had fallen. |
| Most of the calls were concentrated in Manhattan, Mr. Silver said, which is not common for winter storms. | Most of the calls were concentrated in Manhattan, Mr. Silver said, which is not common for winter storms. |
| “Queens tends to be the borough with the most trees,” he said. | “Queens tends to be the borough with the most trees,” he said. |
| The abundance of fall foliage, usually a boon to city residents eager to soak up the last touches of nature before winter hits, was in part to blame. The wet snow adds extra weight, Mr. Silver said, causing stress to trees that is also exacerbated by the wind. | The abundance of fall foliage, usually a boon to city residents eager to soak up the last touches of nature before winter hits, was in part to blame. The wet snow adds extra weight, Mr. Silver said, causing stress to trees that is also exacerbated by the wind. |
| As officials worked to clear blocked roads and walkways, the parks department urged people to stay out of city parks until winds had lessened and workers were able to clear debris. | As officials worked to clear blocked roads and walkways, the parks department urged people to stay out of city parks until winds had lessened and workers were able to clear debris. |
| Winnie Hu contributed reporting. |