The Rest of New York’s Bridges Are Closing Too

Getting out of Manhattan will get significantly harder after 7 p.m. tonight, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo declared the city’s bridges will be shut off to the general public due to heavy winds from Hurricane Sandy. The Triborough Bridge is currently scheduled to remain open, but is subject to closing at any time. The news comes after Mr. Cuomo already announced a number of bridge closures.

“In addition to the bridge and tunnel closures that have already been announced, the East River bridges–the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Ed Koch-Queensboro bridges–will close at 7 p.m. tonight,” Mr. Bloomberg said at a press conference in Brooklyn this evening. “After 7 p.m., only emergency vehicles will be permitted on those bridges.” At the same time as Mr. Bloomberg’s address, Mr. Cuomo sent out a press release stating he directed Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority “to close New York City bridges including crossings to Staten Island.”

Mr. Bloomberg also gave some tips for those who are braving the city’s streets. Notably, he urged drivers to stay on roads higher up and inland from the ocean.

“As far as transportation, we’ve seen closures along roadways along the water, and we can expect more,” he said. “The F.D.R. is either open or closed depending on whether that part is flooded. You should assume roads that go along the water are going to have big problems.”