Aliyya Swaby Photo
Fontana at the EOC Friday.
New Haven’s emergency operations team is preparing for more than six inches of snow and up to 50 mile-per-hour winds as Winter Storm Jonas moves up the East Coast to Connecticut Saturday.
Following a National Weather Service notification that the city could receive between zero and 22 inches of snow, officials are instituting a partial parking ban downtown and on snow routes Saturday night, and preparing to keep shelters and warming centers open throughout the storm.
Public officials shared the latest plans in the basement Emergency Operations Center at 200 Orange St. Friday afternoon to discuss preparations for the first major snow event of the winter.
Jonas is expected to land in New Haven at around 3 a.m. Saturday and last for 24 hours.
“When you wake up Sunday morning, this storm should be gone,” said Rick Fontana, deputy director of emergency management operations. Snowflakes should start to fall early and precipitation, including sleet, will pick up around 11 a.m., he said.
“We will scale up, be overprepared,” said Fontana. “If we need to, it’s easy for us to scale back.”
The Department of Public Works has “pre-treated” the streets with a brine solution Thursday and Friday, to make it easier for them to pick up the snow the next day, said Director Jeff Pescosolido (pictured). Crews will also be putting down treated salt early Saturday.
The EOC will be activated Saturday at 8 a.m. through Sunday at 8 a.m., at which time, “we will make a determination on whether we need to scale back or move ahead,” Fontana said.
Homeless shelters will open to full capacity, and two overnight warning centers will have extended hours, from 12 p.m. Saturday to 12 p.m. Sunday.
A parking ban will be in place starting Sunday 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. on some streets downtown and on posted snow routes, Fontana said. Those streets include the area encircled by Howe Street, MLK Boulevard, State Street and Grove Street. Cars should park at least 15 feet from fire hydrants and 25 feet from intersections and crosswalks.
That ban will be marked downtown by flashing blue lights at several intersections, said Doug Hausladen, the city’s transit chief.
Officials will decide Saturday at noon whether to scale back or double down on the parking ban, Fontana said.
The district has canclled all activities at public schools, including a track meet at Floyd Little Athletic Center, the SATs at local testing sites and Saturday academies at Clemente, Troup, Wexler-Grant, and Fair Haven Schools. The library will also be closed this weekend.
School lots will be available for parking during the parking ban starting Sunday 12 a.m. Temple Street Garage will be open for $3 per day from Saturday 12 a.m. through Monday at 7 a.m.; starting at 5 a.m., the Granite Square Garage at 690 State Street will be free for the weekend.