Flooding, Downed Trees & Power Outages Slow Morris County Roads

Flooding, downed trees, active construction, and widespread power outages are combining to create challenging travel conditions in Morris County and beyond on Friday, December 19.

Drivers in Morris County are facing a difficult commute today, December 19, as high winds, flooding, downed trees and ongoing road work contribute to delays, lane closures, and hazardous driving conditions across the region.

Several roadways have been affected by a combination of storm-related incidents (flooding, downed trees, and signal outages) and scheduled construction activity, while thousands of local residents remain without power (over 6k in Morris County alone).

The New Jersey Department of Transportation has reported scattered delays and partial closures due to downed trees, particularly in northern areas of the state.

As of Friday afternoon, the following weather hazards were reported:

Flooding on US 1&9 northbound at the Truck Route/Pulaski Skyway in Newark has closed the right lane
Flooding on NJ 17 northbound just north of East Union Avenue in East Rutherford has closed the right lane and right shoulder
A downed tree on NJ 17 southbound just south of Paramus Road in Ridgewood has closed the right lane
A downed tree on NJ 208 northbound at Russell Avenue in Wyckoff has closed the ramp lane and right shoulder

Delays were reported at several major Hudson River crossings and interchanges. Eastbound traffic into the Lincoln Tunnel had at least 20-minute delays from NJ Turnpike Exit 16E. At the George Washington Bridge, both the upper and lower levels eastbound had 20-minute minimum delays from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. Southbound traffic on the NJ Turnpike Western Spur near Interchange 15W in Kearny experienced at least a 2-mile delay, and northbound NJ Turnpike/I-95 traffic had a half-mile backup exiting at US 46 in Ridgefield.

Construction activity continues to affect traffic flow throughout the region, with lane or shoulder closures in: Parsippany-Troy Hills, Mountain Lakes, Rockaway Township, Wayne Township, Clifton, Elmwood Park, Lodi, Butler, Ridgewood, East Rutherford, Fort Lee, Oakland, Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, North Bergen, Paramus, Woodland Park, Mahwah, and along major roadways including US 46, I-80, NJ 23, NJ 3, NJ 4, NJ 17, NJ 120, NJ 495, I-287, and CR-636. Closures are affecting both eastbound and westbound travel, and many are expected to last through the afternoon or beyond.

Operational activity was reported at the Lincoln Tunnel, where the center tunnel eastbound had the left lane closed on the New Jersey side. Additionally, on I-80 near Exit 30 in Mount Arlington, the westbound lanes remain open, but the eastbound ramp lane is closed.

Motorists are encouraged to plan extra travel time, avoid flood-prone or debris-affected areas, and remain alert for utility crews addressing wind-related outages and clean-up operations.

Travelers are advised to monitor traffic updates, plan for alternate routes where possible, and exercise caution, especially near utility crews, construction zones, and potentially slick or debris-covered roads.