New York City Emergency Management issued a travel advisory on Monday as weather in Philadelphia and the wider region was expected to turn stormy later in the afternoon, before the sold-out Norway vs. Senegal World Cup match at MetLife Stadium. The warning covered a period when commuters and fans were already headed into the same travel corridors.
The National Weather Service put a flood watch in effect from Monday afternoon through the night across areas of New York City and New Jersey, warning that flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. NYCEM said showers and potential thunderstorms could produce up to two inches of rainfall per hour, with southeasterly winds of 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 30 mph.
MetLife Stadium travel pressure
Monday had already been labeled a Gridlock Alert Day because of the Norway vs. Senegal match, and local organizers said the game was sold out. Around 80,000 people were expected to head to and from MetLife Stadium, while the Port Authority Bus Terminal was discouraging all but essential travel. Organizers were steering fans toward public transit because parking at the venue is tightly limited during the tournament.
The tournament leaves 23,000 car parking spaces ordinarily available at the venue far below normal utility, and a $20 round-trip bus shuttle from locations in Manhattan had already sold out its 12,000 capacity for Norway vs. Senegal. NJ Transit forecast rail service would handle 40,000 riders between New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium, but as of Monday morning only around 17,000 tickets had been bought.
Mikie Sherrill on NJ TRANSIT
Mikie Sherrill said on Monday that, with severe weather expected that evening, fans and commuters should plan for possible delays and changes to traffic and transit service. She added: “For those attending the match, NJ TRANSIT is the quickest and safest way to get to and from the stadium. Avoid unnecessary road travel and monitor local weather forecasts for the latest u”
NYCEM also warned that umbrellas will not be permitted by FIFA inside the stadiums, even though they are allowed on trains and buses. It posted: “Plan ahead with ponchos to stay dry and avoid delays at security.”
That leaves transit choice and timing as the main issue for anyone going to the match. NJ Transit is still charging $98 per person for the round trip, far above its usual $12.90 fare, and the open question on Monday was whether the rail service would actually reach its forecast 40,000 capacity before kickoff at 8 p.m. ET.
