Tornado Cleanup Slowing Shore Traffic In South Jersey: Police

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — The tornado that struck Gloucester County on Wednesday and its ensuing cleanup is having an impact on travel for South Jersey residents hoping to hit the shore this Labor Day weekend.

“While we understand that Route 322, and the surrounding roadways, to Route 55 are normal travel routes for traffic heading to the shore, we implore all motorists to avoid the area if possible,” Harrison Township police said in a social media post. “Due to the continuing clean-up from the recent tornado, there are several utility crews in the area attempting to restore service to the affected residents, which is causing severe traffic issues in the area (road closures, one lane traffic, etc). Also, we kindly ask that all understand the full magnitude of this situation and respect the privacy of the affected families; some of which have lost everything they own. Coming to the area simply to view the damage and take photographs is not acceptable.”

The tornado that impacted Gloucester County has been classified as an EF-3 tornado that had peak winds of about 150 mph, according to a preliminary report released by the National Weather Service. Read more here: Tornado That Hit Gloucester County Packed 150 MPH Winds