Baker Says Sunday Will Be A 'Very Long Day' Of Cleanup Across Snow Inundated Massachusetts

BOSTON (CBS) - Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker wants people to stay off the roads until Sunday because of the drifting snow from the nor'easter and plow drivers needing time to clear off streets and highways.

More than two feet of snow has fallen in some towns. The governor praised those who stayed in and didn't bother to drive in the treacherous conditions Saturday.

"While the storm may be moving out tonight, that blowing snow and snow packed roads will make travel extremely hazardous all night," the governor told reporters at a news conference Saturday evening at the state Highway Operations Center in Boston. "We're going to continue to ask people to stay off the roads throughout tonight and into early morning tomorrow, if they can. The snow obviously will end, but the clean up is going to continue all night and into tomorrow morning as well."

"This has been a very long storm. We're not quite out of the woods on it yet. But we did have a couple of days to prepare for it, and it pretty much behaved the way we thought it would," the governor said. "Tomorrow will continue to be a very long day in terms of cleanup. And in some cases, that cleanup will probably take into Monday."

"We have had a number of issues related to the storm that have made it especially problematic, including flooded coastal roads, the rate of snowfall, and downed power lines. Additionally, the type of snow we have gotten is a very powdery one," said state highway administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

"The storm is also again going to require a long cleanup. And we expect we will have a number of crews out over the next few days cleaning up roadways, pushing back snowbanks, and widening out highway ramps. And generally just keeping on top of slippery areas."

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said the T's biggest concern is buses.

"We do have a number of buses that are stuck. We have crews that are working with them to free those buses. We have 20 to 25 buses that are stuck," he told reporters.

Once the snow stops falling, drivers are also asked to clear off their cars completely before heading out onto the roads.