Drive to get milk, bread, and cat food....

I left Stanley Street at 9:30 AM 12/28 Tuesday,) to go to the Irvington Post Office and then the Ivy Hill Shopping Center for milk, bread, and cat food for our kitties.  I never made it to Clinton Ave. from Linden Ave. because of stuck and abandoned vehicles.  The line of cars in my rear, and myself, made a U turn to go the other way, past the Madison Ave. School (which has been defunct now for "Asbestos problems." )The streets were all unplowed, so I continued to Stuyvesant Ave. which was a nightmare.  I took a side road, which was barely one lane to Sanford Ave. and was trying to get to Clinton Ave. but the intersection was almost blocked. I decided that it would be nonsense to attempt the Irvington Post Office, so I drove toward Maplewood and to the South Orange Post Office, where the roads were all plowed, and relatively decent! I was at the Post Office 10 minutes, and worked my way back to the Ivy Hill area to get the food.  Heading back into Irvington, there was a nightmareish jam at Sanford and Irvington/Clinton Ave., so I made a U-turn to get back to Maplewood go past the Korean Church and Hanging a Left at Boyden Ave (I believe.) I made it to Springfield Ave. but once I hit the Irvington border, the traffic from an unplowed major road was horrible. I made a right onto a side street, made it past Don's Diner, and turned left onto New Street/ Smith Street.  The center of the business district was clogged beyond belief.  By the area where the old Blockbuster used to be, were 2 stuck buses. barely leaving a lane to squeeze through. I finally made it to Linden Ave, where I was for another 1/2 hour and home to Stanley Street.  I arrived at 2 PM! 4 1/2 hours for what should have been, at most, a 45 minute endeavor.  My wife called the mayor, from my instructions when I was still on the road, and Mayor Smith suggested it "wasn't so bad."  He blamed the County (of Essex,) for the problems.  Yet, I do not buy this, because all the roads in Maplewood and South Orange had been plowed. Are they not a part of Essex County?  This was a very stressful event for my wife (who was waiting for me at home, and myself.  Can anyone suggest what may have caused this lack of action on behalf of the Township?  What information are we missing? Sincerely,Sal Robert & Sandy Pauciello