Quantcast
Channel: Middlesex County
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7220

Old Bridge 'dodged a bullet' from storm; Woodbridge held its own

$
0
0

Three years ago, Superstorm Sandy flooded the portions of Old Bridge Township along Raritan Bay, but not in this weekend's blizzard, to the relief of local officials. Watch video

OLD BRIDGE -- Three years ago, the sections of Old Bridge Township along Raritan Bay got slammed by Superstorm Sandy and officials were very concerned last week about nor'easter headed in their direction.

But, this morning, they were heaving a big sigh of relief.

"We dodged a bullet," said Tom Gerrity, the director of the Office of Emergency Management in Old Bridge. "We got a lot of snow, but we didn't get flooding and no one was hurt."

http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2016/01/middlesex_county_school_closings_and_delayed_openi.html

Gerrity said officials expected flooding in Cliffwood Beach and Laurence Harbor. They expected to have to shut down Route 35, especially around the Morgan Bridge.

"The water came up to the roadway, but never flooded it," he said. "We had no flooding. We had no roofs collapse and we didn't have anyone injured."

"We had a lot of snow and we have to deal with that," Gerrity said, but "we came through."

Pat Kenny, the director of Woodbridge's office of emergency management, said the only area that reported any flooding in town was Port Reading Avenue, but it was minor and "was no more than we get at any full moon."

"No houses were affected," he said.

Kenny said the snow is the township's biggest headache and although most of the major streets are plowed, there's still work to do.

"We're holding our own," he said. "The whole town got between 26 and 27 inches of snow. At some points it was snowing at 3 inches an hour. It was hard to keep up with."

There were times when residents came out to clean off their cars and driveways, but plow drivers came back.

"The poor people," Kenny said. "They would start cleaning out and the plows came up. The people would start screaming at the plow drivers."

It was that kind of storm.

Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7220

Trending Articles