On Friday, Feb. 8, Gov. Malloy issued a travel ban beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday due to the impending blizzard.
Not all travel was banned, as commuter rail service was not cancelled. As a conductor for the Shoreline East service, I was hoping the afternoon service would be cancelled, but to my surprise it wasn't. After my shift ended at 8 p.m., it took me 45 minutes to get from the New Haven yard entrance on Hallock Avenue to Long Wharf Drive because no side streets were plowed. I took my chances and decided to enter the highway. It took me an additional 45 minutes to get to Branford on the interstate. As I was beginning to get off on exit 53, my car got stuck.
After patiently waiting for three hours and seeing how no tow truck, snow plow or good Samaritan was going to stop to assist me, I lost hope and abandoned my car to begin the one-mile walk home. I was glad I did, as the news media reported the next day people were hospitalized for hypothermia after spending the night in their cars. My car was towed, and I was charged $252.04 to recover it. That ridiculous amount includes a fee of $125.00 to clean the snow off. That gives new meaning to the term highway robbery.
My co-workers who worked that afternoon didn't fare any better. I ask Governor Malloy if travel was banned, why wasn't commuter rail service included?
Bri Trujillo
Branford