7 0 0 ▁UTC ) ▁on ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁and ▁closed ▁limited - access ▁high ways ▁state wide ▁at ▁ 4 : 0 0   p . m . ▁ ▁Connecticut ▁Light ▁and ▁Power ▁and ▁United ▁Ill umin ating ▁planned ▁for ▁ 3 0   percent ▁of ▁customers ▁to ▁lose ▁power ▁in ▁Connecticut , ▁and ▁h ired ▁out - of - state ▁line ▁cre ws ▁to ▁assist ▁with ▁power ▁rest oration . ▁Governor ▁Mal loy ▁on ▁February ▁ 9 ▁ordered ▁all ▁roads ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁closed ▁except ▁to ▁essential ▁vehicles . ▁ ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁Governor ▁Lincoln ▁Cha fe e ▁declared ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁emer gency ▁on ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁and ▁issued ▁a ▁travel ▁ban ▁for ▁inter states ▁and ▁other ▁major ▁high ways ▁effective ▁ 5 ▁p . m . ▁E ST . ▁ ▁Massachusetts ▁Governor ▁De val ▁Patrick ▁declared ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁emer gency ▁at ▁ 1 2 : 0 0   p . m . ▁E ST ▁on ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁and ▁b anned ▁vehicles ▁from ▁all ▁public ▁roads ▁after ▁ 4 : 0 0   p . m .; ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁state wide ▁driving ▁ban ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁since ▁the ▁Bl izz ard ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁which ▁happened ▁to ▁strike ▁the ▁region ▁exactly ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁and ▁ 1 ▁day ▁earlier . ▁The ▁ban , ▁issued ▁via ▁executive ▁order , ▁included ▁a ▁penalty ▁of ▁one ▁year ▁in ▁j ail ▁and / or ▁a ▁five ▁hundred ▁doll ar ▁fine . ▁The ▁ban