Many NJ roads slick Tuesday morning; Rt. 78 closures & delayed openings

Cold air still trapped in North Jersey led to the delayed opening of schools and the closure of a section of Route 78.

Most of the state has seen temperatures rise well above freezing turning Monday's ice and snow to liquid.

"There is quite the dividing line between cold and warm right now," meteorologist Dan Zarrow said around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. "New Brunswick is currently 51, and Hillsborough is 33."

Zarrow said the a warm front was still moving northward, so the situation will improve.

"Delayed openings for Morris and Somerset counties are definitely smart, as any ice will melt quickly once the warmer air arrives and works its magic," he said.

New Jersey State Police said icy roads were to blame for three separate accidents that injured 11 people and sent 3 people to the hospital. were injured in 3 separate accidents on Route 78 at the start of Tuesday's morning commute. One of the accidents involved a bus from Bethlehem, Penn. based Transbridge which runs a full schedule of buses to New Jersey and New York City. A message left for a company spokeswoman has not yet returned.

The eastbound express lanes were closed for several hours on Tuesday morning.

"Keep an eye on the temperature because it definitely impacts the road condition," warned New Jersey Traffic North's Bob Williams. "Although your local air temperature may be above freezing, the road surface may still be frozen and dangerous. Allow more travel time everywhere this morning."

Speed was reduced in the early morning hours to 50 mph on the Garden State Parkway between Sayreville and the New York State line and 45 mph at its most southern end.  The Outerbridge Crossing also had a 35 MPH speed limit in effect.