BUFFALO, N.Y. — Erie County could start to see the beginning of the end of this nightmare storm as County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced plans to consider lifting the driving ban at 7 a.m. Monday in some of the southern parts of the county.
But for those harder-hit areas like in Buffalo, they are not expected to be able to hit the roads until later this week.
This all coming with the storm-related death total at 17 and rising in Erie County, causing county and state leadership to urge residents to take the storm just as seriously now as they did at the start.
“We've been begging,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “We’ve been asking, and the vast majority of you have, and I'm so grateful for that. But those of you who violate the driving bans, you may think you can go to the store for that six pack, but you are endangering other people. And it's frustrating.”
But some residents still haven’t been following the guidance, not just by car but by foot as many took to the streets — some in skis and snowshoes to sightsee — which first responders are saying is only piling on to the existing problems.
“People want to see their loved ones on this holiday,” said Steven Nigrelli, Superintendent of the New York State Police. “I'm sure you get a little bit of cabin fever. Please, you're only going to inhibit our efforts. Every step forward to clear the roadways, by going on a road is slowing progress. Getting stuck is delaying our ability to reopen Western New York.”
And unfortunately, part of that reopening process will be delayed in some areas as the County Executive said that the lights will not be back on for some of the 15,000 who spent Christmas in the dark until Tuesday.
Help is also on the way from Washington as well, as it was announced Sunday that President Biden plans to immediately grant a disaster declaration to start covering costs and help western New Yorkers dig out of this once-in-a-lifetime storm.