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Malloy Bans Travel Across Connecticut As Of 9 P.M. Due To Blizzard

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Urging residents to go home and stay home, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy announced a statewide travel ban beginning at 9 p.m. Monday and lasting for the duration of the blizzard. 

Trucks fill I-95 in Fairfield when a travel ban is lifted after a blizzard in February 2013.

Trucks fill I-95 in Fairfield when a travel ban is lifted after a blizzard in February 2013.

Photo Credit: Connecticut Department of Transportation

"Everyone should plan be home or find a place to stay," Malloy said in a televised press conference Monday morning. "Get home before the heavy snow hits and remain there until it ends." 

His order closes all state roads to travelers and commuters. Malloy also declared a state of emergency.

For commuters, Metro-North will be adding extra trains from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday to help workers get home before the brunt of the storm hits, Malloy said. CTTransit will stop running buses after 8 p.m. Monday, he said. Metro-North was looking at shutting down service as of 11 p.m. although the decision had not yet been made. 

"Leave work early, work from home if you can do so," Malloy said. "Do not travel from Monday evening through the duration of storm."  

Snow will be intermittent through midday Monday, but it will "intensify this evening," Malloy said, with snow falling at a rate of 4 inches per hour and winds of possibly 60 mph during the overnight hours. 

He compared the approaching blizzard to a storm in February 2013, when 2 to 3 feet of snow fell across parts of Connecticut, paralyzing much of the state. 

For this storm, snowfall totals could be 22 to 42 inches across the state, with 4-foot snow drifts in some places, he said. 

The state Department of Transportation's entire fleet of over 600 crews will be active during the storm, clearing state roads and assisting towns and cities on the local roads, he said. 

"It will take time to clear the roads, please be patient," Malloy said. "It will be a long duration cleanup."

With snow falling at 4 inches per hour, cleanup efforts will fall behind and will not catch up until long after the storm ends, he said. 

With power outages possible due to heavy snow and strong winds, United Illuminating and Connecticut Light & Power have requested out-of-state crews to help. Those crews are expected to arrive Monday afternoon.

The National Guard is also standing by and ready to help, Malloy said.

He also urged residents to check on elderly neighbors and family members, and to refill medical supplies. 

Anyone needing shelter should call 211 for additional assistance.  

"This is a potentially a dangerous storm. ... But we've been down this road five times," Malloy said, he holding up his hand with five outstretched fingers in reference to big storms during his tenure as governor. "We are a resilient state."

Read more about the storm forecast here on the Daily Voice. 

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