Connecticut officials urge residents to stay off roads ahead of major snowstorm

Connecticut state officials urged residents to stay off the roads on Sunday and prepare for a major snowstorm during a press briefing at the Condott Weathersfield maintenance garage.

"We're expecting a significant statewide snowfall event, the biggest event in this state in more than a decade," said Commissioner Gary Eppolito of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, who described staging of equipment, fuel and materials ahead of the storm. "We have over 650 pieces of equipment, more than 900 drivers, and plenty of fuel and salt for the duration of the storm."

The briefing laid out the operational response and public-safety guidance. Officials said more than 200 private contractors have been placed on standby to supplement state crews and that roughly 250 utility crews are available to respond to outages. Governor Ned Lamont described the storm as "the real McCoy," predicting bitter cold and "12, to 18 inches of snow," and urged residents to give crews room to work.

Deputy Commissioner Bridal Bergeron of the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security emphasized personal preparedness and safety: "Check your tires," she said, and advised people to carry warm supplies, food, water and medications for three days, to run generators at least 20 feet from homes, and to check carbon monoxide detectors. She also said regional coordinators have contacted every municipality and tribal nation about readiness and assistance.

Officials advised signing up for the state's early warning system (CT Alert) and said the state's severe weather protocol has been activated. Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz reminded residents that 211 can be used to find shelter: "If you need shelter or you know someone that needs shelter, please call 211," she said.

On travel restrictions, Eppolito said Connecticut is coordinating with neighboring states and that no final decision on bans or restrictions had been made: "We're going to aim for a regional-wide, coordinated approach to that." Officials said they will share decisions as soon as they are made and that the National Guard would be coordinated with if circumstances require it, but that it was too soon to tell whether guard forces would be needed.

Officials outlined operational practices for crews: they are not pretreating roads because of existing salt residue, and maintenance workers are being scheduled to allow rest before long shifts. Eppolito noted that the rate of snowfall matters operationally — heavy rates (for example, roughly 2 inches per hour) can outpace plowing and require crew rest cycles — and warned against public complacency.

The briefing closed with officials urging residents to prepare in advance, check on vulnerable neighbors, and follow official alerts. Officials said more information and any travel restriction decisions are expected after additional coordination calls today and tomorrow.