Mayor Bloomberg draws criticism for allowing marathon to go on during Sandy clean-up

NEW YORK - Despite the devastation in New York City caused by Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided to allow the New York Marathon to go ahead as planned this Sunday.

Bloomberg said the marathon will not take vital emergency service resources away from storm victims, according to ABC News.  During a Thursday news conference, he said many police will be freed up by Sunday because power should be restored to downtown by then.

"Also a lot of the transportation needs that we have during the week aren't there on the weekends," Bloomberg told reporters.

But his decision isn't sitting well with everyone.  New York Senator Kirstin Gillibrand tells ABC News she is concerned about first responders getting to people in Staten Island, which is the where the race starts.  It was also one of the hardest hit areas.

The New York Road Runners, which organizes the race, said it will use ferries to transport runners to the start line.  The rest of the course should be the same because Sandy caused little damage along the route.

NYRR Chairman George Hirsch believes Bloomberg took a political risk by allowing the marathon to go on, but says he thinks people will look back and be "glad" they took part in the race.