Ida Update: Road Closures, Emergency Rescues In South Brunswick

(UPDATE: Route 1 and 130 reopened in both directions.)

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - Tropical storm Ida wreaked havoc across Middlesex County Wednesday, with multiple township roads flooded and numbers of emergency evacuations taking place.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency across New Jersey Wednesday night as Ida spawned powerful tornadoes and significant flash flooding from south to north.

Raymond J. Hayducka, Chief of Police and Director of the South Brunswick Office of Emergency Management, declared a state of emergency for South Brunswick Township on Wednesday night. Hayducka ordered all vehicles to avoid travel and stay off the roads.

"It is critical to our rescue efforts to avoid further victims and to clear roadways to allow rescue personnel access to assist those already in need of assistance. We need the public's cooperation with this," Hayducka said.

Township roads were flooded and impassable. More than a dozen motorists were rescued from their vehicles which had been disabled by flooding, police said. Many more were still awaiting assistance as emergency crews worked to rescue them.

As of Thursday morning, the Kingston section remained hard hit with flooding closing roads on the border with Princeton and Plainsboro. At 7 a.m. Mapleton Road has a current running across it with disabled vehicles in it.

While waters have receded in many locations, some roads still remain closed. The police department has asked people to allow extra time for any needed travel and anticipate closed roads to the west and north of the Township.

Here are closed roads in South Brunswick

• Deans Rhode Hall Road is closed between Route 535 and Fresh Ponds Road due to wires and trees across the road.

Surrounding towns roadways closed

• New Brunswick - Route 18
• Princeton - most routes into the community remain flooded
• Monroe - Route 33 closed

Residents living in Trenton City's low-lying areas were evacuated as the Delaware River was forecast to rise above the flood stage by Friday. The power grid was turned off in the area until Thursday morning. Residents were asked to seek shelter at the Joyce Killmer School.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Transit rail service remained shut down in northern New Jersey, and at Newark Liberty International Airport, flights were slowly beginning to resume.

The New Jersey Turnpike was shut down for several hours by flooding in both directions just south of Exit 12 in Carteret but finally cleared to allow drivers to resume their trips about 3:45 a.m.