New York City Imposes Travel Ban Ahead of Snowstorm

New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani announced a citywide travel ban on Sunday, anticipating a significant snowstorm. During a press conference, he declared a state of emergency, indicating that all roads, highways, and bridges in the city would be off-limits to non-emergency vehicles starting at 9 p.m. Sunday until noon Monday.

This measure affects all types of vehicles—cars, trucks, scooters, and e-bikes—allowing only limited exceptions for essential emergency travel and critical service workers.

Millions across the Northeast are under blizzard warnings as a powerful bomb cyclone prepares to unleash up to two feet of snow along the I-95 corridor. Forecasts predict wind gusts reaching as high as 110 mph, raising concerns about widespread power outages as the storm escalates through Sunday night.

As of Sunday afternoon, flight disruptions were significant, with over 7,000 cancellations reported across the region. Major cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are expected to receive between 18 and 24 inches of snow. In the nation’s capital, five to eight inches of rain is still anticipated, although forecasts for nearby Baltimore have lessened overnight.

Currently, approximately 29 million Americans are under blizzard warnings. Emergency snow removal teams deployed on Saturday in preparation for the storm. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency for the city, while Mayor Mamdani announced that an outreach team had been organized.

The New York City Department of Sanitation is actively seeking temporary snow shovelers to assist in clearing snow and ice from public areas like bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants, and stairways.

Compensation for these temporary positions starts at $19.14 per hour, rising to $28.71 for hours exceeding 40 in a week. However, potential workers must meet several qualifications, including being at least 18 years old, capable of performing heavy labor, and authorized to work in the United States.