Lead
On Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, Massachusetts lifted a travel ban for nonessential motor vehicles in Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable and Dukes counties as crews continued to dig out after a blizzard that dropped nearly 3 feet of snow in parts of the state. Governor Maura Healey announced the noon lifting while urging residents to remain cautious and stay home when possible to let cleanup and power-restoration crews work. A statewide emergency order remains in effect for most counties, and dozens of communities still enforce local travel restrictions and parking bans. Officials warned that icy, slushy roads and widespread outages mean recovery will take days in some areas.
Key Takeaways
- The travel ban for nonessential vehicles in Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable and Dukes counties was lifted at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, per the governor’s office.
- More than 250,000 customers across eastern Massachusetts were without power as of Tuesday morning; utility officials cautioned restoration may take several days.
- A state of emergency remains active statewide except in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, where it was lifted earlier.
- Boston’s snow emergency was extended until at least 6 p.m. Tuesday; local parking bans and space-saver rules apply in neighborhoods such as South Boston.
- The National Guard activated 200 personnel to assist with response and logistics across the commonwealth.
- MBTA services are operating on reduced schedules: core subway lines at lower frequency, buses on snow routes, and Commuter Rail on storm timetables.
- Utility restoration is constrained by hazardous conditions; bucket-truck operations are limited when winds exceed 35 mph.
Background
The blizzard that struck Massachusetts this week produced localized snowfall totals approaching 36 inches in some communities, creating hazardous travel, collapsed tree limbs and downed power lines. Ahead of the storm, Governor Healey declared a state of emergency and pre-positioned response teams; the National Guard was mobilized to assist in priority tasks such as route clearance, shelter support and logistics. Municipalities have long-standing protocols for post-storm parking bans and snow-emergency rules intended to speed plowing and prevent secondary incidents.
Massachusetts has experienced several major nor’easters in recent years that informed preparations for this event, including coordinated staging of municipal plows, statewide mutual aid for utilities and public advisories to limit nonessential travel. Key stakeholders include the governor’s office, MassDOT, utilities, MBTA, local police departments and municipal public works crews. Those agencies prioritize clearing arterials and emergency routes first, which inevitably delays full neighborhood access in heavily impacted towns.
Main Event
On Tuesday, state officials lifted the travel ban in the four counties after assessing road clearance and storm conditions, but they kept the broader state of emergency in place to maintain resource coordination. Local governments in cities such as New Bedford, Fall River and Brockton maintained their own travel restrictions and parking bans, citing blocked streets and ongoing plowing. Boston extended its snow emergency to at least 6 p.m.; Mayor Michelle Wu said officials will reassess later Tuesday based on cleanup progress.
Power outages remained a central challenge. Utilities reported more than 250,000 customers without electricity in eastern Massachusetts on Tuesday morning, and restoration crews were staged statewide. Officials emphasized safety constraints: high winds and unstable trees prevent some crews from working on downed lines until conditions improve. Governor Healey thanked utility workers and warned residents that full restoration could take multiple days in the worst-impacted neighborhoods.
Transit agencies operated on reduced timetables to reflect staff and road limits. The MBTA ran Red, Orange, Blue and Green Lines at reduced levels comparable to Sunday schedules, buses on snow routes, and Commuter Rail on storm timetables. Ferry services at Charlestown and Hingham/Hull resumed with modified schedules, and RIDE paratransit service was set to return to regular operation on Wednesday with bookings available Tuesday.
Analysis & Implications
The decision to lift the county travel ban while leaving the state of emergency in place reflects a phased recovery approach: restore mobility where safe, but retain emergency authority to deploy resources where needed. That balance aims to let residents resume essential travel while preventing premature traffic that would slow plows and utility crews. Municipalities with deeper snow accumulations and obstructed local streets will continue to face restricted access for days, slowing deliveries and emergency response in isolated pockets.
Widespread outages underscore vulnerabilities in distribution networks exposed by heavy, wet snow and downed tree branches. Utilities must triage repairs where they can safely reach damage, meaning some customers at the end of long feeder lines may wait longer for restoration. The involvement of the National Guard and mutual-aid crews is typical for large events, but the scale here suggests increased fiscal and logistical strain on municipalities and utilities alike.
Transit reductions will have an outsized effect on commuters and essential workers who lack private vehicles, potentially shifting demand to taxis, paratransit and shuttle services. Businesses in downtowns and retail corridors may see delayed reopening, and schools will need to align schedules with municipal clearance timelines. Economically, multiple days of reduced activity translate into lost sales for affected neighborhoods and added overtime costs for public crews.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Reported Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum reported snowfall | Nearly 3 feet (≈36 inches) |
| Customers without power (eastern MA) | More than 250,000 |
| National Guard activated | 200 members |
| Counties with travel ban lifted | Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes |
| Counties no longer under state emergency | Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin |
These figures show the storm’s twin impacts: deep snow accumulation in some coastal and southeastern communities, and large-scale infrastructure disruption across eastern Massachusetts. Comparing this event to recent nor’easters, the snowfall totals were locally extreme, while outages scale with tree density, line design and wind intensity that accompany heavy wet snow.
Reactions & Quotes
State leaders emphasized coordinated response and patience as restoration proceeds. The governor framed the lift of the travel ban as conditional on continuing work by crews and urged residents not to impede operations.
‘We are grateful for the workers out here around the clock and ask residents for patience and caution as crews restore service.’
Governor Maura Healey, official statement
Boston officials explained the city-level extension of the snow emergency and the rationale for time-bound decisions tied to cleanup benchmarks.
‘At 6 p.m. we will reassess whether the weather, snow and cleanup look OK to lift the emergency.’
Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston
Residents described using neighborhood norms such as ‘space savers’ after digging out their cars, reflecting local efforts to manage scarce curb space during prolonged emergencies.
‘I didn’t want to repeat my last mistake — I waited and then it took hours to get out.’
Connor Whalen, South Boston resident
Unconfirmed
- Exact timelines for full power restoration to all affected neighborhoods are not yet available and remain contingent on weather and damage assessments.
- Reports of the total number of downed utility poles across the region are preliminary and have not been fully verified by utilities.
- Some community reports of blocked arterial routes differ from state traffic status; final clearance times will vary by municipality.
Bottom Line
The partial lifting of the travel ban signals measured progress: state and local officials judge conditions safe enough for limited travel in certain counties, but widespread outages and obstructed local streets mean major recovery tasks remain. Residents should prioritize safety, delay nonessential trips, and follow local parking and snow-emergency rules to allow crews to work efficiently.
Expect restoration and cleanup to continue over several days. Officials will base further relaxations of restrictions on road clearance benchmarks, falling outage totals and improving weather; until those markers are met, the public’s cooperation will be a key determinant of how quickly normalcy returns.
Sources
- WCVB (local television news report)
- Massachusetts Governor’s Office (official state announcements and emergency orders)
- MassDOT (transportation status and plow operations)
- MBTA (service advisories and storm schedules)
- Eversource / Utility outage pages (power outage maps and restoration updates)