Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the 132-mile section of the Thruway closed since Tuesday because of a massive lake-effect snow storm in western New York will reopen Friday afternoon with restrictions.
Cuomo said during a news conference Friday morning that a 58-mile stretch of Interstate 90 from Exit 46 near Rochester to Exit 50 at Williamsville will reopen at 3 p.m. Friday.
The governor says the highway from Exit 51 to Exit 61 at Ripley, on the Pennsylvania border, will also open at that time but vehicles won't be allowed to exit.
Cuomo says the highway is being reopened in stages to allow the hundreds of tractor-trailers and other vehicles stranded since Tuesday to leave the region.
Officials say I-190 and I-290 and Routes 219 and 400 will also reopen at 3 p.m. for essential traffic only.