New governor’s first crisis: Sherrill declares emergency as snow bears down on NJ

❄️Gov. Mikie Sherrill warns Sunday's snow could severely impact travel

❄️Commercial vehicles are banned on major highways statewide Sunday

❄️ NJ Transit plans schedule changes as needed

Gov. Mikie Sherrill has declared a state of emergency and implemented commercial travel restrictions as New Jersey's first significant snow in several years gets closer.

During a Friday afternoon briefing at the New Jersey Regional Operations & Intelligence Center at State Police headquarters, Sherrill made the declaration and asked drivers to stay off the roads on Sunday when the worst of the storm will impact New Jersey.

"It's been a while since we've seen a storm like this," Sherrill said. "This is a good weekend to stay in, watch some football, play a board game with your kids, but please stay off the roads on Sunday."

The New Jersey Department of Transportation will have 3,800 pieces of equipment out plowing and salting during the storm. A thousand will be deployed by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway while 80 pieces of equipment will be on the Atlantic City Expressway.

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A commercial vehicle restriction for all tractor-trailers, empty straight CDL-weighted trucks, passenger vehicles pulling trailers, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday on the following highways:

• Route 76 (entire length);
• Route 78 (entire length);
• Route 80 (entire length);
• Route 195 (entire length);
• Route 280 (entire length);
• Route 287(entire length);
• Route 295 (entire length);
• Route 676 (entire length)
• Route 440, both directions from the Outerbridge Crossing to I-287.

What the state of emergency means — and what it doesn’t

The State of Emergency allows the National Guard to be activated and helps the state get federal assistance for cleanup from the storm. It does not close roads, require that residents remain in their homes or require employers send their workers home early.

New Jersey Transit CEO/President Kris Kolluri said regular service will be provided Saturday and Sunday but schedule adjustments will be made based on conditions.

"The No. 1 focus is on safety, safety of our customers," Kolluri said. "We want to make sure that the equipment that we have, both on the rails and on the buses and the light rails, are safe not only before, during, but more importantly after the storm, so we can get people back to where they need to go."

The governor, who has been on the job for less than a week, also recommended that cell phones be charged and gas tanks filled.

A decision on whether to close or delay the opening of state government offices on Monday will be made that morning. State courts, meanwhile, will operate remotely on Monday.

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