An uneventful journey home for commuters
(George Rizer/Globe Staff)
Snow didn't deter this hardy person from walking a dog during the predawn hours on Boston Common.
By Globe Staff
For those who braved the snow today to go to work, the reward was a smooth commute home.
The traffic monitors at SmartRoute Systems Inc. in Cambridge said it was the easiest Monday-night commute they had seen in months. Aside from an exit ramp on Route 2 in Arlington closed for repair work and a slow patch on Interstate 95 in Wellesley, SmartRoute said there were virtually no problems on the homebound commute.
"When no one goes to work, no one has to go home," joked Jeff Larson, general manager of the company. "The conditions are good, traffic volume is extremely light, and that translates to very little traffic."
Residents began to dig out this afternoon after a brief but powerful coastal storm that had covered the Bay State this morning with a blanket of wet, heavy snow. The northeaster, which was the first snowstorm of the new year, caused numerous spinouts on the roads, delayed flights at Logan International Airport, and disrupted MBTA service.
Officials asked people to stay home, if they could. And many apparently were happy to extend their weekend. Traffic during the morning rush hour was reported to be light.
Lieutenant Eric Anderson, a State Police spokesman, said that while a number of spinouts had been reported, there were no serious injuries.
Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm had dumped 6.8 inches on Boston and 6.2 inches on Worcester. The western part of the state saw higher totals, with the town of Leverett, for example, tallying 12 inches.
More wintry weather may be on the way. The weather service has predicted that another storm could bring snow or rain to the state Thursday night or Friday.
About 28,000 people were without power this afternoon, down from 45,000 at the height of the storm, said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said service was returning to normal after numerous disruptions this morning to trolley, bus, and commuter rail lines. The Mattapan high-speed trolley line was shut down after a tree fell on overhead power wires. It reopened but then closed again when another tree fell on the tracks shortly before 5 p.m., the MBTA said.
The Boston school system was among hundreds that canceled classes, bringing joy to children but forcing working parents to scramble to make child care arrangements.
At Logan International Airport, many flights were delayed or canceled. Spokesman Phil Orlandella suggested that people check with their airlines before they leave for the airport.
In downtown Boston, streets seemed quieter than usual. Officials said it appeared many people had decided to telecommute rather than brave the elements. A mayor's spokeswoman said that non-essential employees were told they didn't have to come to work today. Virtually all business at the State House also came to a halt.
The storm comes just a few days after a brief, spring-like interlude when temperatures soared into the 60s.
Officials were concerned that the afternoon commute would be a replay of the nightmare that happened during a snowstorm almost exactly a month ago when people were stuck in traffic jams for hours. But the problems didn't materialize this time.
