As New Jersey digs itself out from under a historic blizzard, commuters and residents are facing a rapidly evolving transit landscape, with NJ Transit rolling out a patchwork of service resumptions and modifications in the wake of more than two feet of snow blanketing parts of the state. The storm, which officials have called the worst since 1996, has upended daily life, snarled travel, and left tens of thousands without power as utility and transportation crews race to restore normalcy.
On the evening of February 23, 2026, NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri announced on News 12 that bus services would resume at 4 a.m. Tuesday, February 24, though he cautioned that “there will be some detours and delays based on road conditions.” Rail services are set to resume at 5 a.m., but with a caveat: all lines will operate on a modified weekend or Presidents’ Day holiday schedule, and some routes will remain suspended until Amtrak completes critical snow-clearing work on track switches. "If Amtrak is unable to complete this work overnight, then the Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast lines won’t be able to resume and the Northeast Corridor Line won’t be able to make some local stops," Kolluri explained.
The storm’s impact was immediate and severe. According to News 12, all NJ Transit rail, bus, light rail, and Access Link services were suspended by Sunday evening as snow and winds battered the region. Mandatory travel restrictions, including a ban on non-exempt vehicles on many state roadways, went into effect at 9 p.m. Sunday and remained in place until noon Monday, with the New Jersey Turnpike as a notable exception. The Department of Transportation also imposed—and later lifted—a 35 mph emergency speed restriction on highways, allowing drivers to resume posted speed limits but urging them to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
As the blizzard raged, Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency and warned residents of the storm’s gravity. “We’re anticipating an incredibly dangerous storm, the likes of which we have not seen since 1996,” she said, noting that all 21 counties were under a blizzard warning for the first time in three decades. Sherrill reported that thousands of utility and transportation workers had been deployed statewide. “I am confident that these dedicated men and women will continue their efforts in the aftermath of this historic snowstorm until all systems are fully operational,” the governor stated.
By Monday afternoon, the first glimmers of recovery appeared. NJ Transit began restoring some light rail services, with Newark Light Rail and the River LINE resuming around 4 p.m. on Sunday schedules, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail restarting at 6 p.m. on a weekend schedule, according to agency announcements cited by NJ.com. The agency confirmed that all three light rail lines, along with bus and Access Link services, would return to regular weekday schedules on Tuesday, February 24. Yet, officials cautioned that delays, detours, or cancellations were possible as crews continued to clear snow from platforms, tracks, and bus facilities.
Commuter rail service, however, remains a complicated affair. The Morristown, Gladstone, and Montclair-Boonton Lines are running on a Presidents’ Day schedule, but all Midtown Direct service to Penn Station New York is diverted to Hoboken. Cross-honoring is in effect in Hoboken, allowing riders to use PATH trains to 33rd Street, NY Waterway Ferry to Midtown, or the NJ TRANSIT 126 bus as part of ongoing Portal Cutover adjustments. The Pascack Valley, Main-Bergen, and Port Jervis lines are operating on regular holiday schedules, while the Atlantic City Rail Line is running on its usual weekday timetable.
Travelers on the Northeast Corridor face further changes: trains are operating between Trenton and Metropark, then running express to Newark Penn Station before continuing to Secaucus and New York Penn Station. Local stops between Metropark and Newark are suspended, and there is no service on the North Jersey Coast Line or the Raritan Valley Line until Amtrak clears snow from critical track switches—work that is ongoing and has no set completion time. "Resumption of service on these lines, along with the resumption of the local stops on the Northeast Corridor, is fully contingent upon Amtrak’s completion of their work to clear the snow from their track switches," NJ Transit emphasized in its public updates.
Throughout the storm, the state’s infrastructure was put to the test. According to News 12, utility companies reported well over 100,000 customers without power by Monday afternoon, with the majority of outages in the southern half of the state. Jersey Central Power & Light and Atlantic City Electric each reported tens of thousands of customers in the dark. Residents were urged to report outages to their utility providers and to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines. Meanwhile, flight cancellations and delays mounted at Newark Liberty Airport, with JetBlue and other airlines suspending operations for safety reasons.
Local officials scrambled to keep their communities safe and mobile. Newark authorities urged residents to avoid parking on city streets to facilitate snow removal and announced that all city buildings, including City Hall, would be closed on Monday. Similar closures and remote operations were reported at universities across the state, including Monmouth University and Montclair State University.
Even as travel bans were lifted and speed limits restored, state officials continued to urge caution. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority gradually restored normal speed limits on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, but drivers were asked to limit travel and remain vigilant for lingering hazards. "Drivers are also urged to reduce their speed and to allow for extra time while traveling," News 12 reported, echoing the sentiments of state police and transportation officials.
For those venturing out, NJ Transit advised riders to monitor service alerts via njtransit.com, the agency’s mobile app, or their individual line accounts on X (formerly Twitter) for the latest updates. The agency underscored that conditions could change rapidly as cleanup and repairs continued.
This blizzard has served as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of modern infrastructure to extreme weather events. While the state’s response was swift and coordinated, the scale of the disruption—spanning transit, power, and air travel—underscored the challenges of keeping New Jersey moving when nature throws its worst at the Garden State. As the snow slowly melts and the transit system inches back toward normal, residents and commuters alike are left hoping for a smoother ride in the days ahead.