Utica declares snow emergency; dump truck rolls over highway ramp

The City of Utica has declared a snow emergency due to a winter storm hitting Central New York and other parts of Upstate New York.

The Utica snow emergency takes effect tonight, Thursday, Jan. 2, at 10 p.m. All vehicles must be removed from city streets by 10 p.m. to facilitate safe passage for snow removal and emergency services, Mayor Michael P. Galime said.

Any vehicles left on the streets after the emergency takes effect are subject to ticketing and towing at the owner’s expense. The snow emergency will remain in effect until further notice, Galime said.

The snowstorm and slick road conditions caused a dump truck to roll over on a highway ramp Thursday morning, according to the Observer-Dispatch. Photos released by the Utica Fire Department show the truck upside down with its load spilled out over the edge.

The Fire Department’s official Facebook page shared a post that said the driver escaped without injuries.

Police said the Oriskany Street ramp to downtown Utica from Route 12 closed around 10:30 a.m. Oriskany Street eastbound from the Varick Street-State Street ramp to Broadway is also closed; drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes.

Madison, Northern Oneida, Onondaga, and Southern Oneida counties are currently under lake effect snow warnings, according to the National Weather Service. Between 1 to 3 feet of snow is expected to accumulate through Saturday, with wind gusts as high as 40 miles per hour.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the weather service said. “Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”

• See how much snow you might get in Central NY lake effect storm (map)