....he ran off to Cancun  and left us with 6 more weeks of winter!  🤦🏻‍♀️🤬

With this, and the actual forecast for more cold weather and snow this weekend, here are some post-storm updates and almost TGIF relief!

What to know this morning:

• The City is pivoting to overnight snow removal.  And that’s a good thing.  I want to acknowledge this course correction. One of the hardest things for any leader to do is admit when a plan isn’t working and adjust. Something we never saw with our previous mayor and a welcome change.  Moving snow removal to overnight hours will allow crews to work more efficiently, reduce traffic impacts, and clear more streets faster. The County has now also adjusted its approach after daytime plowing during street-cleaning hours proved ineffective.
  
  Overnight operations occur between 7:00 pm and 7:00 am.
  All vehicles must be removed by 6:00 pm on the dates listed below.  
  • Wednesday, Feb. 4: Clinton (Newark to 14th)
  • Thursday, Feb. 5: Madison (Newark to 15th
  • Friday, Feb. 6: Grand (Newark to 15th)
  • Saturday, Feb. 7: Hudson (15th to Observer)
  • Sunday, Feb. 8: A break for the Super Bowl
  • Monday, Feb. 9: Garden (14th to Observer)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 10: Park (Observer to 14th)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 11: Jefferson (Newark to 15th)
  • Thursday, Feb. 12: Adams (Newark to 15th)

County roads except the other side of Willow are now included in this overnight plan following coordination between the City and County.  

• Street cleaning is suspended through at least Monday, February 9. This pause is critical. The goal is to clear enough streets first so residents actually have alternative parking options before street cleaning resumes.
• Your feedback made this happen. The overnight approach, the coordination with the County, and the suspension of street cleaning are direct responses to what residents have been saying, clearly and consistently, over the past several days.  #MoreVoicesMatter
• Public transportation is still a little choppy. The NYWW ferries are still struggling with ice in the water.  Not sure if you are aware, but the Hudson flows south in the morning, and then switches direction and flows north in the afternoon.  And when the current is strong, the large chunks of ice are flowing against the boats.  With the challenges the ferries are having, this is having a spillover effect on buses with long lines. So plan accordingly and as a reminder, if you don’t already, I encourage you to sign up for the text alerts from NYWW by texting each of the following below.  

• REMINDER: Overnight garage parking available: Residents can use the existing $6 overnight resident permit rate at Garages B, D, and the Midtown Garage.  Important: Unlike the $5 / 24 hour storm special, you must enter after 6pm and exit by 8am or the city’s daily rate applies.  Note - this rate is available all the time.  

• Praise for the blocks that have been cleared. It is like the ray of sunshine we all want to see more of.  However…
• Continued frustration with how long snow removal has taken on certain blocks.  A given.  And hopefully with the revised plan we will see more soon of that sunshine I mentioned in the first bullet.  
• Ongoing concerns about inconsistent ferry service and limited communication when schedules change.  I have reached out to NYWW and have asked Mayor Jabbour to also deliver the message to them about improving their alerts and communications which have not been great this week.  And I have asked that the city to include more in their nixles about any public transportation alerts.
• Questions about when numbered streets will be addressed.  Next.  The constraint for the City is alternative parking capacity overnight so they can only close so many streets at once for snow removal.  I recommended they reach out to the private garages to see if they could offer overnight specials as well to add more capacity.  
• And yes, disbelief and frustration about a film permit issued using on-street parking during all of this. I hear you.  But it was J.Lo…

🍸🍺FRIDAYS AT 5 RETURNS!!!! 🎉🍺

REMINDER!  Friday’s at 5 returns tomorrow night @ 5PM downtown!I will confirm the location later this morning and let you know.  If you do not receive my texts about this - that I will send out tonight - please request to be added to the list here:

I feel like we have reached an important inflection point where we start seeing more and more snow removed.  I appreciate all the hard work of the various teams at the city and county for their overnight efforts.  Their lives have been disrupted as well with 16 hour days and overnight shifts.  

Don’t stop with your suggestions - they are making a huge, beneficial, difference to our community!  And do not hesitate to reach out to discuss this or anything else important to you. My number is 201-208-1674.  Hope to see you tomorrow night @5 for a much needed drink and community hour!