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March 5, 2001 8:56 AM, EST

A powerful winter storm now hitting the U.S. Northeast and mid-Atlantic region has already spurred Connecticut Gov. John Rowland to take the unprecedented step of banning tractor-trailers from traveling on state highways.

The order, which took effect Monday morning, is aimed at avoiding the kind of huge multi-vehicle accident and long traffic backup that occurred on Interstate 95 in Virginia during a sudden snowstorm late last month, the Hartford Courant reported.

As the ice, snow and heavy winds began sweeping the region, a state of emergency was declared in New Jersey, and hundreds of flights were canceled at Newark International Airport, Bloomberg News reported.

That means high-valued air cargo, which involves a large amount of ground transportation, is already being disrupted.

The storm may last 48 to 60 hours and cold drop a total of 18 to 36 inches of snow in some areas, the National Weather Service told Bloomberg.Transport Topics

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