High Winds Prompt Empty-Trailer Ban On Part Of NYS Thruway

Forecasts of wind gusts up to 60 mph have prompted a ban on hauling empty trailers along part of the New York State Thruway in western New York starting at 3 a.m. Thursday.

The ban, according to a message on the New York State Thruway Authority website, stretches from the Interstate 90 Lackawanna Toll barrier to the Pennsylvania line. That covers about 66 miles, from milepost 430.5 to milepost 496.

The authority did not state when the ban, which applies to trucks going in either direction, may be lifted.

Blizzard conditions are expected throughout the region Thursday. The National Weather Service is forecasting wind gusts of 50-60 mph, with heavy snowfall and limited or no visibility at times.