Saturday, February 9, 2013
Gov. Deval Patrick said roads will be OK for travel by late Saturday.
The statewide driving ban will be lifted at 4 p.m. today. Gov. Deval Patrick tweeted from his official @MassGovernor account just before 1 p.m.: “Driving ban lifted immediately for Nantucket County & for all communities west of I-91; driving ban lifted statewide as of 4 PM." Patrick signed an executive order to ban vehicle traffic beginning at 4 p.m. Friday. It was the first time the order had been signed since 1978. Penalties for driving during the ban include a $500 fine and up to one year in prison. For updates and other information about the Feb. 8-9 winter storm, see Charlestown Patch's storm center. CHARLESTOWN PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates
Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?
All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …
Gov. Patrick will reassess the situation after the storm ends Saturday afternoon.
A statewide travel ban remained in effect Saturday morning, as a serious winter storm continued to drop snow on the Boston area and other parts of Massachusetts. In a call to NECN, Gov. Deval Patrick said conditions were improving slowly but that because the storm was still ongoing the travel ban would remain in effect. Patrick said he was still concerned about public safety and that he would reassess the situation "around midday." The governor said he had not heard of any serious injuries because of the storm. The statewide travel ban, an executive order that took effect at 4 p.m. Friday, affects nearly all non-emergency vehicles across the commonwealth. Some exclusions include health professionals, public works employees, utility workers…
Friday, February 8, 2013
Non-essential vehicles are ordered to stay off the roadways from 4 p.m. Friday until further notice.
In addition to declaring a state of emergency in Massachusetts because of the weekend winter storm, Governor Deval Patrick on Friday signed an executive order banning all non-essential motor vehicles from the state's roadways. The ban takes effect at 4 p.m. Friday and will continue until further notice. According to the order, the ban does not apply to: "public safety vehicles and workers, including contract personnel; public works vehicles and workers, including contract personnel; government officials conducting official business; utility company vehicles and utility workers; healthcare workers who must travel to and from work in order to provide essential health services; news media; travel necessary to maintain and deliver critical …
Matthew
8:40 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
A year in prison? Ridiculous. Typical liberal nanny state crap. more ›