New Jersey battled its first major snowstorm of the season this week shutting down schools, state offices and businesses. When the storm was over the Garden State was blanketed with up to eight inches of snow.
On Monday, officials announced that schools would close at noon due to the impending storm. State government offices also announced the closing of their offices.
Gov. Phil Murphy encouraged residents to prepare for the winter storm and hazardous travel conditions. The administration monitored weather conditions as the Thanksgiving holiday weekend ended and the work week began.
New Jerseyans dealt with messy road conditions Sunday and Monday and were encouraged to use public transportation if possible. Significant snow, sleet, and freezing rain created hazardous implications for our commuters and roadways. Commercial vehicles were restricted on portions of I-78, I-80, and I-287 starting at midnight Tuesday.
“New Jersey’s transportation agencies––the Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey––are coordinating our response and prepared for whatever weather comes,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said on Monday before the storm.
Gutierrez-Scaccetti added that travelers should plan extra time, drive carefully, and move over to give crews and emergency responders to keep the state’s highways clear and safe.
Reports indicate that by midday Monday, Newark Liberty Airport saw at least 248 flight delays and 132 flight cancelations.