Metro-North service remains suspended today while the Authority asseses the damage Sandy has done to the rail and subway lines.
MTA chairman Joe Loda said this morning that by his estimate there are at least 100 trees down from 59th Street in Manhattan to Croton-Harmon along the Hudson Metro-North line. Crews would be walking the length to clear the path and there was no estimate when service would be restored.
The most immediate problem for the transportation authority is the power outages throughout New York City and the surrouding counties, according to LoHud.com. LoHud reports:
(MTA Spokesman Salvatore Arena) said service would be restored in stages: first buses, once the roads and bridges are clear; the last probably will be the Long Island Rail Road tunnels once the flood waters are pumped out and needed repairs are made. There was no estimate when any service would be back running “once we get a better sense of what the recovery will be.”
The Metro North announced this morning that it was having techinical difficulties with its phone systems, but by 9:40 a.m. those issues were resolved, according to an MTA alert.
The Tappan Zee bridge has been reopened in both directions around 9:30 a.m. this morning after a night closed and in the dark save for blinking red tower lights.
Officials from Westchester County and New York City warn residents to stay home and not venture out into hazardous conditions, avoid downed wires and trees.
