The New Jersey Snow Day Transportation Debacle

Kyle Roethlin, Staff Writer

On Thursday, November 15th, New Jersey and the surrounding areas were hit with a surprising blizzard leaving 5-7 inches of snow across the local area virtually shutting all forms of transportation. Due to the unexpectedly strong nature of this system, drivers, buses, and trains were found at a standstill for much of the duration of the storm. Drives that normally took 20 minutes lasted for 3 hours. Commuters took anywhere from 5 or more hours to get home if they even made it home. It was certainly an event that parents, commuters, and administrators will remember for quite some time.

 

I was one of the many out driving on Thursday. I had to work at the Summit YMCA from 4 to 6:15. My mom and I entered the car at 3:30, expecting an easy drive that normally takes around 15 or 20 minutes. However, we could not have been more wrong. The drive from my house to Huntley Tavern, usually around a 7-minute drive, took 45 minutes. At that time, cars were breaking down and the road was impossible, so my boss told me to turn around and go home. However, the trip home was even worse. It took us an hour and a half to drive home, getting back at around 6. My story is one of the better of the day, but it is certainly one that I will never forget.

 

NJ administrators should greatly consider the lessons learned from the day going forward. Lives were lost, vehicles were damaged, and tempers were flared, all because roads were not properly treated and schools did not give early dismissals. Thankfully, Oratory had the proper judgment to give an early dismissal, and I am thankful for that. However, the discussion on snow days should be changed in public schools. It should not focus on the 180 days. Rather, we must put safety as our number one priority.