Garden State Times

The Camden County Department of Public Works (DPW) is gearing up for an impending winter storm expected to hit the region on Monday morning. The department is preparing to manage the county's 1,200 lane miles of road in anticipation of the snowfall.

"This storm is set to blanket our area in a few inches of snow, so we have our crews preparing all of our equipment and keeping up with the forecast to ensure that they are ready to clear snow and sleet as it begins falling," said Commissioner Al Dyer, who serves as liaison to the DPW. "Our salt trucks are loaded up, the plows are ready to go, and our tree removal equipment is in working order to clear any debris that may result from this weather."

A winter storm warning has been issued from 1 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6 until 1 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7. The forecast predicts 3 to 5 inches of snow with temperatures peaking at 31 degrees.

"As always, we urge residents to stay off the roads unless they must go somewhere," Dyer advised. "And please remember, as our crews head out to treat the roads always leave at least six car lengths behind our vehicles while they work and move any cars off the street and into a driveway. Please also remember that it is illegal in New Jersey to plow or shovel snow from private property into roadways."

At their Lindenwold complex, more than 100 pieces of equipment stand ready for deployment across Camden County's roadways when conditions worsen. Personnel will be dispatched strategically across 12 winter maintenance districts based on need.

In case of power outages caused by severe weather, residents are reminded to contact their utility companies directly for assistance:

- PSE&G: Call 1-800-436-PSEG (7734) or visit http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp

- Atlantic City Electric: Call 1-800-833-7476 or visit http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/

- South Jersey Gas: Call 1-800-582-7060 or visit http://southjerseygas.com/

Residents should reserve calling 911 for emergencies only but can report issues on county roads via CCDPW's hotline at (856) 566-2980.

For ongoing updates during the storm regarding weather and road conditions, residents can check www.camdencounty.com or follow updates on Facebook and Twitter.