TRENTON -- At least three water main breaks around the state caused problems Tuesday morning, including one on Route 78 that shut down a lane.

Eastbound commuters on 78 faced a multi-mile delay because of a water main repair in the left lane, around exit 40 for Hillcrest Road in Warren Township, according to New Jersey Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Schapiro.

"It's taken longer than expected to repair, so it will be through the (morning) rush hour," Schapiro said.

The break also caused a two-hour delayed opening for schools in the Warren Township school district, and the complete closure of the district's Woodland School.

School superintendent Elizabeth Jewett, in a message to parents, said the break was located under the interstate.

Commuting issues were also caused by a water main break that developed early Tuesday morning in Jersey City, on Washington Street at Essex Street, that closed down part of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.

According to a tweet from the city, water utility Suez was reporting sporadic water outages in areas of downtown Jersey City, including the Newport area.

Route 202 in Far Hills was closed between Sunnybranch Road and Liberty Corner Road in because of a water main break as well.

Meteorologist Dan Zarrow expects more water main breaks to develop as the coldest air in 12 years settles over New Jersey Wednesday until Saturday.

"New Jersey's infrastructure, including water mains, weren't necessarily built to withstand prolonged extreme cold," Zarrow said. "When the thermometer drops below that magical 32 degree number, everything outdoors physically contracts -- metal pipes, paved roads, even the ground. That additional pressure, added to the advanced age of many urban water pipes, significantly increases the threat for water main breaks during a cold snap."

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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