Gov. Cuomo said subway service could be significantly expanded today if Con Ed makes good with promises to restore power in Lower Manhattan later this afternoon.
“Yes. You will see more trains coming on line,” Cuomo said at briefing this morning.
No subways are running between 34th Street and Brooklyn, in large part because of power outages.
The MTA said yesterday it had cleared many of the East River tunnels and conducted inspections on the signals.
Those inspections showed that subway service could be restored within two hours of power returning.
Con Ed has said that it can bring power back to Lower Manhattan as early as today. The rest of Manhattan will likely be brought back Saturday evening.
Bringing power back downtown “would be a big step forward to the transit system,” Cuomo said.
Meanwhile, the MTA announced today it is adding a shuttle train to run the 5 train route in the Bronx from the Dyre Ave stop to East 180th Street. From there, riders can hop on the 2 train, which is running to Times Square.
Increased subway service could help alleviate the gas shortage that has caused long line and sparked fights at gas stations in the tri-state area.
Cuomo said there was “no reason to panic” over the current gas crisis.
He said Friday that tankers are now making “great progress” delivering fuel to distribution centers.
He also says he has signed an executive order waiving a requirement that fuel tankers register and pay tax before unloading.
Obstacles being overcome include debris in New York Harbor that posed navigation hazards.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral Daniel Abel said at the briefing that other issues include “three fairly major spills” on Staten Island.
Relief for the gas shortage also came from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who temporarily waived a maritime rule to allow foreign oil tankers coming from the Gulf of Mexico to enter Northeastern ports to help ease a fuel shortage in the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy.
Napolitano waived — until Nov. 13 — the Jones Act. This law prohibits international cargo ships from transporting oil and other cargo between U.S. ports until Nov. 13.
In addition to Cuomo announcing that subway service could be expanding, he announced the creation of a $100 million fund to benefit those hit hardest by Sandy.
Both Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos have agreed to spprove spending for the fund.
Cuomo also made a disaster declaration for both Westchester and Rockland Counties during his briefing earlier on Friday.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.