New Jersey, the quintessential hub of hustle and bustle, where people measure their lives by exit numbers and the views are best through streaky train windows, is abruptly at a standstill. Forget about quick diner meals that urge you to 'eat up and get out'; right now, you might just want to order another cup of coffee because you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

With a staggering 8,700-square-mile stretch of the Garden State seemingly transformed into a perpetual rest stop, commuters are grappling with a nightmare: train services halted, flights grounded, and major highways impacted by a series of alarming sinkholes. This isn’t just a day or two of inconvenience—New Jersey is experiencing a manifestation of its worst traffic fears.

The Strike That Grounded a State