UPDATED at 4 p.m.: Springfield Police Announce Emergency Road Closures

UPDATED: While high water levels and storm debris still present hazardous conditions for drivers on many Springfield roads, township police have been able to clear some major thoroughfares for traffic. 

Morris Ave. is partially open as of 3:45 p.m., with traffic allowed East to West on the street. Mountain Ave., previously blocked in front of Town hall, is now clear. 

Rte. 22 and Springfield Avenue still have major collections of water, with Rte. 22 East blocked off from traffic and all traffic getting diverted from Springfield Ave., which still is covered with floodwaters. 

"Springfield Ave. is going to take a while," Springfield police Detective Sergeant Judd Levenson said.

Levenson said that unlike in Hurricane Floyd, where the police department was relocated after flooding, police have been able to work at their Mountain Ave. headquarters without disruption. Springfield's evacuation center was moved from Dayton to the Chisholm Community Center because of concerns about sewer back-up at the school. 

Levenson cautioned Springfield residents from venturing out into the streets. 

"Everybody sees the sun shining and they want to go out and see the flood damage," Levenson said, noting that the high winds expected to be in the area until 6 p.m. still present a major danger to the public. "Tomorrow is the day to clean up.

The original story is below, edited to reflect updated information about roads. 

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Heavy flooding and high winds have flooded roads and felled trees and power lines in several areas within the township, necessitating road closures and the evacuation of residents from low lying areas near the Rahway River.

Springfield police issued an alert shortly before 2 p.m. saying many major roadways bisecting the town are still impassible.

Morris Ave. is partially open as of 3:45 p.m., with traffic allowed East to West on the street

Likewise, the east bound side of Route 22 is closed at the Springfield-Union border where the Rahway River crosses the highway.

The west bound side of Route 22 had been closed down earlier at the Hillside Avenue intersection but 22 West now open.

Springfield Avenue at the border with Union near the Route 78 highway bridge is closed in both directions, but the Route 78 highway is open.  The on and off ramps are not accessible to vehicles due to the flooding of the Rahway River.

Police had to use a large front end loader from the Springfield DPW to deal with either stranded motorists or to reach the Villa’s apartment complex at 200 Springfield Avenue.

Meisel Avenue by the Union County Meisel Park is completed shut down between the intersections of Meisel Avenue & Laurel Drive to Meisel Avenue & Riverside Drive.

The roadway is completed flooded with large trees down as well. Riverside Drive is closed between Meisel Avenue to Morris Avenue due to severe flooding with side streets off of Riverside Drive (South Maple Avenue, Joanne Way, Battlehill Avenue and Washington Avenue being impassible due to flooding).

Smithfield Drive is closed between Milltown Road and Evergreen Avenue also due to flooding from the Rahway River. Laurel Drive is closed due to heavy flooding between the Redwood Road intersection and the Dogwood Terrace intersection.

Mountain Ave., previously blocked in front of Town hall, is now clear. 

Police, fire and emergency management personnel had to utilize two boats to evacuate over 50 residents from Marion Avenue, Washington Avenue, Smithfield Drive, Elmwood Road and Cottler Avenue.

There are sporadic power outages throughout the town due to trees taking down the power lines.

The Union County Office of Emergency Management has issued an order for Springfield residents to boil all tap water for use until further notice. No injuries have been reported as a result of the hurricane.

The local shelter was moved from the high school due to sewer back-ups to the Chisholm Community Center.