UPDATE from PSE&G: Power Restoration, Streets Closed and More in Maplewood

Update 1 p.m.: Maplewood Police Chief Robert Cimino wants to remind residents to stay away from all wires and power lines. Any wire could be live.

Update 11 a.m.: PSE&G told media in a live conference call that 148,000 customers are still without power in Essex County, down from 255,000 that were out yesterday. (There are still 900,000 without power statewide.)

They will continue to assess Newark substations today, then will begin to work on assessing individual streets and homes. More information will be available by the end of the day. "Highly treed areas are the toughest to restore," said CEO.

Update 8:36 p.m.

As of Tuesday night, Maplewood Avenue has been reopened. The Department of Public Works has cleared all downed trees that were along the street.

Original Story

As of Tuesday late afternoon, there were numerous streets closed in Maplewood as fallen trees and power lines blocked passage throughout the township.

Earlier in the morning, Police Chief Robert Cimino cautioned residents to stay home and not to drive -- or walk -- on the streets. "All non-essential travel should cease," said Cimino.

Judging from a Patch editor's drive and walk through parts of town (sorry, Chief), many people were disregarding the warning.

Some major street closures include:

• Walton Road from Maplewood Avenue to Jefferson
• Woodland Road from Jefferson to the Burgdorff Center
• Dunnell Road from Oakview to Baker
• Ridgewood Road near the commercial district of Cupcake Corrall, etc.
• Durand Road from Ridgewood to Wyoming

There were many parts of Ridgewood Road and Wyoming Avenue closed, varying from street to street.

Giant trees are down on multiple streets, including Woodland Road, Jefferson, Maplewood Avenue, Dunnell Road, Walton Road, Oakview Avenue and many, many more. At the morning press conference, DPW head Eric Burbank said cleanup would take "weeks."

Power is expected to be restored to town within the next 3-5 days, according to Mayor DeLuca, who spoke Tuesday afternoon with PSE&G.

Schools are closed in the South Orange - Maplewood School District on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

The Halloween Parade was postponed until Friday, Nov. 2.

The main branch of the Maplewood Memorial Library will be open Wednesday until 9 p.m. Morrow Memorial Church is open and has power; people are welcome to come to recharge devices, use the kitchen or have children play.

Maplewood Town Hall is open until 4:30 p.m. for people who want to come and charge their cellphones.