NYC Power Outage Updates, When Will The Subways Reopen

The waters are receding and the sun is shining after Sandy, but downtown Manhattan remains a post-zombie-apocalypse scene with the lights out as people roam the streets seeking power and internet like Revolution extras.

Let’s take a quick look at what the what is going on.

Transit:

Mayor Bloomberg said that subways could be closed for the next three or four days. The city will not reopen the trains until it is safe to do so, and the first step in the long process of repairs is to assess the damage.

New York Governor Cuomo, at a noon press conference, said that there will likely be very limited subway service on Thursday.

Here's a quick short list of what the things look like as of noon on Wednesday:

OPEN: MTA (Bus) Local, Limited-Stop and Express Bus service will operate as close to a normal weekday schedule as possible, no fares OPEN: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, Marine Parkway Bridge OPEN: NYS Bridge Authority Bridges CLOSED: All Subway Lines, LIRR, Metro-North (likely very limited operation on Thursday) CLOSED: New York State Canal System is Closed to Navigation

New York’s Mass Transit Authority tweeted that the governor and MTA chairman went out Wednesday to survey the system from above. Now that the city and MTA have a clearer idea of what they’re dealing with, it should be easier to for them to give the realistic timelines that everyone is itching for.

Buses in New York are currently running on a regular schedule now but there will probably be significant detours because of blocked roads, crowding for obvious reasons, and delays.

New Jersey Transit also reports that they are conducting damage assessment and still have no timetable for when rail service will resume.

Per the NJ Transit homepage, currently all bus service is suspended except for limited service in Camden County.

Power:

Power is still out for many residents of the tri-state area after the largest hit to the grid in history.

Con Edison spokesperson Chris Olert said the goal is for the company to restore power to Manhattan within 4 days, and 10 days for those in the outer boroughs.

Unfortunately, things aren’t looking good for at least two boroughs. On Tuesday the company explained that, “Problems on high voltage systems supplying power to southern Brooklyn and central portions of Staten Island required the company to cut electrical power.” Approximately 160,000 people will be without power in these areas.

ConEd also posted a statement Wednesday morning with Halloween safety tips. They warned trick or treaters to avoid the more than 5,000 live wires that Sandy downed, and to be careful crossing streets since many traffic lights are still dead. Flashlights and safety vests are encouraged in areas without streetlights. Basically, please don't die for candy. 

For information on whether or not there is power in a particular neighborhood, refer to ConEd’s service area map and enter the area code.

UPDATE: Details Released on Restoring Mass Transit Service

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday afternoon released an update of mass transit conditions, including details of the subway service restorations to begin on Thursday. Officials have said that for the gaps in service along typical subway routes, buses will often be added to make the necessary connections. Here is the statement from the governor’s office:

N.Y.C.T. SUBWAY SERVICE:

2 trains will operate between 241st Street (Bronx) and Times Square-42nd Street, with express service between 96th Street and Times Square.

3 trains are suspended.

4 trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:

6 trains will operate local between Pelham Bay Park and Grand Central-42nd Street.

7 trains are suspended.

42nd Street Shuttle S trains will operate between Times Square and Grand Central.

A trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:

B and C service is suspended.

D trains operate in two sections:

E trains are suspended.

F trains operate in two sections making all local stops:

G trains are suspended.

J trains operate between Jamaica Center and Hewes Street making all local stops.

L trains operate between Broadway Junction and rockaway Parkway making all local stops.

M trains operate between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Metropolitan Avenue.

N trains operate between Ditmars Blvd. (Queens) and 34th Street-Herald Square making all local stops.

Q trains are suspended.

R trains operate in Brooklyn between Jay Street-MetroTech and 95th Street making all local stops.

Both the Franklin Avenue and Rockaway Park S shuttles are suspended.

SHUTTLE BUSES:

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD:

Ronkonkoma Branch: Suspended (goal to restore hourly service from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station for AM rush hour Thursday, Nov. 1)

Port Washington Branch: Suspended (goal to restore hourly service from Great Neck to Penn Station for AM rush hour Thursday, Nov. 1)

Babylon Branch: Suspended

Port Jefferson Branch: Suspended

Montauk Branch: Suspended

Hempstead Branch: Suspended

Long Beach: Suspended

Far Rockaway: Suspended

Oyster Bay Branch: Suspended

West Hempstead: Suspended

METRO-NORTH:

Upper Harlem Line: Suspended

Lower Harlem Line: Restored with hourly service

New Haven Line: Suspended

New Canaan Branch: Suspended

Danbury Branch: Suspended

Waterbury Branch: Suspended

West-of-Hudson:

Bridges and Tunnels

Henry Hudson Bridge: Open

Throgs Neck Bridge: Open

Bronx-Whitestone Bridge: Open

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: Open

Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge: Open

Cross Bay Veterans Memorial: Open northbound to Broad Chanel; Open southbound to Rockaways but subject to period closures for emergency equipment

Hugh L. Carey Tunnel: Closed

Queens Midtown Tunnel: Closed