Malloy Announces When Connecticut's Travel Ban Will Be Lifted: BREAKING

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Tuesday afternoon that the travel ban on state roads that went into effect early this morning will be lifted effective at 5 p.m. today, but he is still urging motorists to stay off the roads if possible this evening as conditions remain treacherous. (To sign up and receive free news and weather alerts from your hometown in Connecticut, click here.)

“By limiting travel on state roads to only essential personnel, we dramatically reduced the potential for accidents and it has provided road crews with much greater access to clear the roads faster,” Malloy said in a statement. “As the storm begins to taper off, we will be lifting the ban effective at 5 p.m. today, however I want to stress that residents are still strongly advised to stay off the roads if at all possible. DOT crews are still clearing snow from many roads, and black ice continues to be a concern.

"If you absolutely do not need to travel, stay where you are this evening. Again, I want to thank all of the residents of our great state for heeding the warnings and staying safe during this storm."

So far the storm has produced anywhere from a couple inches of snow to 16 inches in some spots of the state. Strong gusts continue to remain a concern, Malloy said. Across the state there are about 1,800 electric utility customers without power.

Third shift non-essential state employees don't have to report to work Tuesday. Malloy anticipates being back to normal Wednesday.

Related: Connecticut Snow Totals 3/14/17 Storm

State Police have responded to 86 calls to assist motorists and have gone to 28 accident scenes. That is a much lower number than usual for a storm of this magnitude, Malloy said. There were no serious injuries or fatalities reported.

"It’s gotten warmer, it will get colder and black ice is going to be a problem in the evening and overnight,” he said.

Compliance with the travel ban has allowed the Department of Transportation to stay on top of clearing snow from state roads and highways.

Bradley International Airport has no departing flights but is working to clear runways for some arrivals later tonight.

Malloy's wife Cathy Malloy took the governor's earlier advice about it being a good day to make brownies. Malloy brought a batch to storm-weary reporters before his press conference.

Original story: Gov. Dannel Malloy thanked the vast majority of residents for complying with the travel ban.

State Police have only gotten 19 calls for service, six of which were accidents with no injuries, Malloy said at his 9 a.m. press conference.

The state will know where it stands as the heaviest of the snow moves in between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. So far it’s nothing new for Connecticut as the state has experience dealing with several massive snowstorms in the past few years.

So far power outages are scarce in the state. Eversource had about 100 customers without power throughout the state as of 9:45 p.m. United Illuminating is reporting no outages.

Malloy suggested residents try and stay ahead of the snow when clearing driveways as it will be on the heavier side. Outside of that he recommended some light recreational activities.

“It’s a good day to make brownies,” he said, adding that residents may also consider reading a book.

Metro North is ending service with the last train arriving at Grand Central at noon. Airports are working to keep runways clear, but flights for the moment aren’t coming in or going out.

Image via MTA/Flickr Commons