Transcript: Mayor Bill de Blasio Appears Live on AM 710 WOR

January 22, 2016

Jeff McKinney: A blizzard warning for New York goes into effect at midnight tonight. That's new – it had been 4 am, lasting until Sunday morning – and a winter-weather emergency now declared for the city of New York. And joining us now is he who declared that emergency, Mayor de Blasio. So, Mr. Mayor, at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning we have this winter-weather emergency going into effect. What precisely does that mean for the citizenry of New York?

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Well, I declared the winter-weather emergency, starting at 8 am tomorrow morning. It will go until midnight and we may extend it depending on conditions. What it means is people need to of course only go out on the roads if they have a really urgent reason to do so. We need all New Yorkers to stay off the roads so we can have our emergency vehicles able to move around, and so we can keep the roads clear with our sanitation plows. Any vehicle blocking roadways will be subject to towing. This is not the same – to be clear, this is not the same as a travel ban – that's what we had implemented when – last time we were faced with potentially one of the biggest blizzards that had ever been projected for the city. So, this is one step below an all-out travel ban, but it is a very clear message to all New Yorkers to stay off the roads tomorrow, and certainly that any vehicle that is inhibiting emergency vehicles or sanitation plows will be towed, obviously at the owner's expense.

McKinney: Right. So, Mr. Mayor, this starts at 8 o'clock. We're just now getting word – not to sandbag you – we're just now getting word that the blizzard warning that was to go into effect at 4 am, now starts at midnight tonight. Any thought of perhaps this winter-weather emergency starting earlier than 8 o'clock?

Mayor: Well, at this point, we're holding with [inaudible] because the news that we've gotten I think is probably form the same information you're working from – is that we won't have serious accumulation as of this moment until daybreak. So, let's say roughly 6 am – two to three inches by then. What we're more concerned about is when its starts to add up more than that. Two to three inches is about the amount when we can start plowing. We literally are not able to plow until at least two inches has accumulated. So, 8 am, I think, is going to be good, and obviously most people are not out on the roads before that anyway. But from 8 am to midnight tomorrow, we need people to stay off the roads. And, look, I think the smart thing for New Yorkers to do is get anything you need now – you know, this evening. Assume you're going to be in Saturday and Sunday – both because this storm clearly could go well into Sunday.

McKinney: Absolutely. Mr. Mayor, thank you so much for joining us on what I'm sure is a very, very busy for you.

Mayor: It is, but we've got a lot to do. I can guarantee all our departments will be out there keeping people safe.

McKinney: Mayor de Blasio, thanks so much.