TRENTON-On Friday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy held a post-nor’easter excuse-laden news conference which laid blame on Thursday evening’s rush hour storm madness on weather forecasters, tractor trailers and even commuters.
Some drivers reported commuter trips in the Garden State taking as long as 5 to 6 hours, with many opting to weather the storm in parked cars or nearby hotel rooms.
“Yesterday gave forecasting a bad name, and we mean it,” Governor Phil Murphy said.
New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan said motorists should also bear their share of the responsibility for being on the roads during a snowstorm.
Murphy labeled the storm, “The Perfect Storm that came upon us rather quickly.”
The state said roads were not salted because they were not prepositioned ahead of the storm and once dispatched could not get inside the travel lanes of the state’s highways.
“I hear a lot of excuses!!! You guys failed!!!! I was in traffic for 6 hours and did not see 1 salt spreader or plow!!! Shame on you,” replied resident James Russell.
Murphy and his administration admitted roads were not salted and snow plows were not dispatched until it was too late. The state claimed 1,800 pieces of equipment were on the roads, salting the state roads.
When asked if the administration dropped the ball, Murphy said it’s not a black and white, but the buck stops with him.
Most commenters on the live feed said they did not see snow plows or salt trucks on state roads as many waited hours. some as long as 10 hours, including, according to Murphy a 9 month pregnant woman who was stuck on the George Washington Bridge.
“I’m not going to let the forecasters off the hook,” Murphy warned. Murphy said he was in Atlantic City at a convention when the storm first reached New Jersey.
