Middlesex County On Alert for Hurricane

Middlesex County Freeholder Christopher D. Rafano has just announced that Hurricane Sandy’s impact is beginning to be felt in communities throughout the County.

“Hurricane Sandy is still hundreds of miles off the coast, but its high winds and rains are already affecting our roads, bridges and low-lying residential areas,” Rafano said. “If you have an emergency, please dial 9-11 immediately. For non-emergency storm related questions, please contact your municipal emergency operations center or dial your non-emergency municipal police department phone number.

Rafano urges residents to stay up-to -date with storm information by turning into local radio and television stations and by visiting the Middlesex County web site at: www.co.middlesex.nj.us.

As of 2:30 p.m. the following situations have been reported:

• All NJ Transit operations have been suspended. All stations are now closed. Any passengers located at stations should be directed to local shelters as there are no means to transport them via public transportation.
• Garden State Parkway is closed from Exit 129 South.

POWER OUTAGES

• PSEG
  • Edison and South Brunswick reporting range 1-500 people
  • Plainsboro reporting range 501-2000 people
  • South Plainfield reporting range of 1-500 people
  • Carteret – 1500
  • Metuchen – 2
  • East Brunswick - 2
  • Edison – 24
  • Piscataway – 1
  • Highland Park – 1
  • Middlesex – 27
  • New Brunswick -- 500
  • North Brunswick – 2200
  • Perth Amboy – 2
  • Middlesex - 27
  • Woodbridge – 1200

ROAD CLOSURES

• South River -- Veteran’s Bridge to Sayreville
• Milltown – Riva Avenue between North Brook and Clay
• Woodbridge – Port Reading Avenue near Watson;  West Avenue and State Street
• Highland Park – Route 27 Southbound into New Brunswick (Bridge closed)
• South Amboy – Route 35 from Birchwood to County Road
• East Brunswick – Main Street and River Road going into Spotswood
• Sayreville – County Road  615 from Main Street to Jernee Mill Road; MacCarther Avenue between Main Street and Washington Road
• Old Bridge – Old Matawan Road to East Brunswick

The Middlesex County Emergency Operations Center opened and has been staffed since 4 p.m. Sunday. It will remain open 24 hours a day through the duration of the storm.

The following municipalities have activated their Emergency Operations center:

Carteret
East Brunswick
Highland Park
Jamesburg
Milltown
Monroe
New Brunswick
North Brunswick
Old Bridge
Perth Amboy
Plainsboro
South Brunswick
South Plainfield
South River

Freeholder Director Rafano and County Emergency Management Coordinator signed a State of Emergency Declaration at 5 p.m. Sunday. In addition the following municipalities have declared local States of Emergency:

• Carteret
• Highland Park
• Jamesburg
• Milltown
• Monroe
• New Brunswick
• North Brunswick
• Perth Amboy
• Plainsboro
• Old Bridge
• South Brunswick
• South Plainfield
• South River

Evacuations have been ordered in sections of several towns. Additional evacuations will be order as needed throughout the County.

CURRENT EVACUATIONS

-       North Brunswick Voluntary evacuation of Deerbrook Village began at 8 a.m. Monday

-       New Brunswick - Mandatory evacuation for residents in the area from Neilson Street to the Raritan River between Albany Street and Commercial Avenue

-       South River -  Homes along river (known flooding areas from 1991 benchmark)

-       Carteret – Voluntary evacuation of all trailer parks and in the Chrome and The Hill neighborhood

-       Old Bridge -  

• Mandatory evacuations of Pomona Blvd (#62) and Raritan Blvd (54, 55, 56, 66,71, 75) in Cliffwood Beach
• Mandatory evacuations Bayside Avenue, Cliffword Way, Rowan Way, Shoreline Road in Laurence Harbor
• Mandatory evacuation on Appleby Street, First Street (both sides), Old Mantawan Road (up to but not limited to Old Willis School Office Building) , Madison (crossing Sunset), River Road and Sunset Avenue

-        Woodbridge  - Mandatory evacuations of trailer park on Watson Avenue

Middlesex County opened two regional shelters. Currently there are 11 individuals at the shelter at the Woodbridge Community Center on Main Street; and there are 6 people at the shelter inside the Carl Sandberg Middlesex School in Old Bridge.

About 62 residents have gone to local shelters:

2 people at the Edison Senior Citizens Center on Woodbridge Avenue
50 people at the Lord Sterling School in New Brunswick
3 people at the Trinity Presbyterian Church on Cranbury Road, East Brunswick

7 people at North Brunswick High School on Raider Road

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