{"id":2645,"date":"2020-05-14T09:10:13","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T13:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/newsroom_details_pag\/n-j-to-reopen-nonessential-stores-for-curbside-pickup-allow-construction-as-coronavirus-outbreak-slows\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T17:04:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T22:04:12","slug":"n-j-to-reopen-nonessential-stores-for-curbside-pickup-allow-construction-as-coronavirus-outbreak-slows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/reports\/n-j-to-reopen-nonessential-stores-for-curbside-pickup-allow-construction-as-coronavirus-outbreak-slows\/","title":{"rendered":"N.J. to reopen nonessential stores for curbside pickup, allow construction as coronavirus outbreak slows"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Best Buy in Bridgewater is open for contactless service, where shoppers can walk up to the door and workers will get the product or you can drive up and the product will be put in your car.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com<\/p>\n

New Jersey will allow nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup and nonessential construction to resume, starting Monday morning, as the coronavirus<\/a> pandemic continues to show signs of slowing in the state, Gov. Phil Murphy<\/a> announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The executive order<\/a> marks the second major move Murphy has made to ease the near-lockdown restrictions he installed over the last two months to combat the virus. He lifted closures on state and county parks, as well as golf courses, late last month.<\/p>\n

The decision comes as the state\u2019s economy sputters because of the pandemic, with widespread unemployment<\/a> and untold revenue losses.<\/p>\n

The changes will take effect 6 a.m. Monday.<\/p>\n

Murphy\u2019s order also clarifies that drive-in and drive-through events \u2014<\/a> including drive-in movies and religious services \u2014 are permitted in the state, as long as people stay in their cars. That takes effect immediately.<\/p>\n

And the governor said he may take more steps in the coming days, including permitting elective surgeries to resume and giving guidance to beaches as Memorial Day nears.<\/p>\n

Murphy said these steps are possible because New Jersey, one of the nation\u2019s coronavirus hotspots, has seen its number of new cases, deaths, and hospitalizations drop after weeks of strict social distancing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data we are seeing gives us confidence that we can begin the careful and responsible restart of our economy \u2014 to get people back to work, and to begin to set the stage for the steps to come,\u201d he said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MORE: Drive-in movies, religious services in cars permitted under N.J. coronavirus lockdown rules, Murphy says<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The move comes a day after officials detailed plans for ramping up testing<\/a> and contact tracing in New Jersey, which Murphy said is critical to have in place as the state reopens.<\/p>\n

Murphy also said curbside service is a logical first step because it allows stores and customers to maintain social distancing as the state continues to deal with deaths, cases, and hospitalizations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not out of the woods yet,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen compared to other states, we see that New Jersey still bears a significant burden from COVID-19. So keeping up with social distancing is essential as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n