Erie County Did Not Give the Bills Permission to Drive Home

The City of Buffalo continues its driving ban, as crews try to clear roadways after the monster blizzard that ripped through the region on Christmas weekend.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced that work will be done to clear roads and that the driving ban will not be lifted in the City of Buffalo today. That ban will be reassessed in the morning, but Poloncarz says the goal is to clear every city and country street by Thursday morning at 9 am.

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The rest of Erie County remains in a travel advisory, as there is still work being done to help the suburbs dig out.

Many people are bringing up the fact that the Buffalo Bills were able to drive home with the driving ban, on Christmas Day when the lake effect snow band was still bad. The Bills flew to Rochester because the Buffalo airport was closed and then by bus, drove the rest of the way to Orchard Park. The Bills players then drove home.

Poloncarz addressed the Bills driving back and he said Erie County and the Sheriff's office did not sanction the Bills to drive through the driving ban.

Poloncarz added the Bills did call and request an escort and the county and sheriff's office said "no." The Bills did drive back anyway.

It's unclear what the protocol would be in the future but it appears the Bills decided to not adhere to the driving ban and drive back.

The Bills are preparing to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football on January 2nd. The Bills will leave for Cincinnati on New Year's Day.