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Subscribe to RSSMsnbc.com photojournalist Jonathan Woods reports that the city streets of Manhattan are quieter than usual too, in anticipation of Hurricane Irene's arrival first thing Sunday. Many businesses were shuttered as business owners prepared for the worst.
Jonathan D. Woods / msnbc.com
Department of Sanitation workers attach plows to garbage trucks in preparation for Hurricane Irene as the storm approaches New York on Saturday, Aug. 27.
He found subway platforms empty, and blocks-long lines of buses waiting to enter storage facilities. Probably the oddest sighting was finding city sanititation employees attaching snow plows to their trucks. The employees remarked that it was an unusual move and at this time, they were unclear why the city was making that particular preparation. We have calls into the New York Office of Emergency Management and will report back. (Update 7:05 ET: Keith Mellis, a spokesperson for the Dept. of Sanitation for New York City, says the plows are for moving debris. They are being added to trucks as a precaution in case Hurricane Irene leaves debris behind that needs to be quickly cleared to make way for emergency vehicles.)
In a press conference by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, two staging areas are prepared for equipment and personnel that are moving in from other areas of the state. One thousand workers and 100 dump trucks, excavators, backhoes along with trailers of water and food are expected.
Jonathan D. Woods / msnbc.com
Long lines of city buses wait in line for the bus depot near Broadway and 215th St., after the shutdown of the Metropolitan Transit Authority's mass transit system as Hurricane Irene approaches New York on Saturday, Aug. 27. They are pulling all of the buses off of the city streets and into garages, which many drivers said they had never seen before. These unusual steps are part of the reason why the MTA needed 8 hours to fully shut down the system.
Jonathan D. Woods / msnbc.com
The 215th St. subway station sits empty in northern Manhattan after the shutdown of the Metropolitan Transit Authority's subway system as Hurricane Irene approaches in New York on Saturday, Aug. 27. Threats of severe flooding from the storm resulted in the mandatory evacuation of 250,000 people, the cancellation of over 9,000 flights and the first weather-related complete shutdown of the city's mass transit system.
See the latest images of Hurricane Irene's impact
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The plows are probably to keep streets clear of debris.
That actually makes sense.
You are right--we've updated the post above with explanation from the Dept. of Sanitation.
I was thinking the same thing about the plows. The garbage trucks would be good for pushing misc debris off the roads.
Not only to push debris, but more likely to push water.
Yes, removal of debris makes sense. Duh. Also, this would be a great time to film on of those apocalyptic blockbusters with most of New York appearing deserted.
About a month ago in Chicago they used plows to clear the runways from water. I am guessing the plows are for both water and debris. Stay safe East Coast, we're praying!
yeah those sure gonna help with 40ft waves...
Good job New York. No fooling around there.
Perhaps they plan to line up and push water directly back into the surrounding rivers? Like big SQUEEGIES?
Oh, lord. Can't understand why snow plows would be activated during this storm? Ever look at pictures from the south after one of these has blown through. I guess not...
One of those, a couple chainsaws and lengths of logging chain will work wonders at clearing downed tree detritus from neighborhood streets. Something you'll be doing a lot of if the winds are as bad as has been imagined.
Try common sense or at least read the comments posted before yours.
he doesn't have to , why dont YOU try that?
Drew me boy, common sense just isn't that common and one man's common sense is often shown to be stupidity by another with real world experience. Hence, when you have a bunch of guys milling around putting snow plows on trucks who can't put two and two together giving you the statement:
And then you come along with some goofy statement about common sense.
Can we use the plows to clean up our corrupted Congress?
They're also great at pushing aside dead bodies.
Haha nice
I wonder if the union employees will work any harder on the snow plows then they did last winter. I'm guessing the answer will be no.
If it were not for Unions , ALL our jobs would be in China moron
City needs a good douching anyway , drop laundry soap and bleach on it and nature will final rinse
Smart move. Thank heavens it was not needed.
Take warning, HE IS ON HIS WAY.
Gonna need a bigger PLOW for what is coming . You dont believe me , hold on to your horses !
Obamma Hates White People!