Driving conditions hazardous, some Princeton area roads closed due to ice, poor visibility (updated 8 p.m.)

Snow is turning to ice, making driving conditions extremely dangerous Wednesday into Thursday. New Jersey Goc. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency at 2 p.m.

Stay home if you can. Police in many area municipalities are urging residents to avoid driving Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Roads with bridges and roads with inclines are especially dangerous to drive on. Police in several municipalities in the Princeton area have had to respond to multiple crashes due to the slippery conditions.

The snow began around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As of about 7:30 p.m., the snowfall was about four inches in the Princeton region. The snow is mixing with sleet, and road surfaces are freezing over. Freezing rain is also expected.

Quaker Road in Princeton is closed between Mercer Road and Nassau Park Boulevard due to poor visibility.

In South Brunswick, police report that snow and ice have made travel on the following roads especially difficult:

• Route 1 north between Route 522 and Whispering Woods Boulevard
• New Road between Route 522 and Route 1
• Major Road near Route 1
• Sandhill Road near Route 1

In West Windsor, Cranbury road has been reopened at Perry Drive after a fallen utility pole was removed by workers.

Don’t forget to remove your car from public roadways so the streets can be plowed.

There is the potential for strong winds gusts of up to 60 miles per hour that could cause power outages. As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, a few PSE&G customers were without power due to a motor vehicle crash taking down a pole in Hamilton. If you are a PSE&G customer and you lose power, call Call 1-800-436-PSEG(7734) A handful of JCP&L customers in East Amwell Township are also without power due to the storm. JCP&L customers who lose power should call Call 1-888-544-4877.

Send your storm tips and photos to tips @ planetprinceton.com.