Photo: mrolands / iStock / Getty Images
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will conduct a hurricane evacuation exercise today (August 7) along the Jersey Shore. This annual drill aims to refine response activities in case of a major hurricane. The exercise involves NJDOT, New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, and the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
The exercise will focus on key shore evacuation routes, including the Atlantic City Expressway, Garden State Parkway, and Routes 47, 72, and 347. According to Gloucester City News, no roads will be closed, but motorists should expect increased police and work crew presence.
The main objective is to prepare for a contraflow setup, which involves reversing traffic direction to facilitate a quicker evacuation. Crews will stage cones, signs, and message boards along the highways, but they will not deploy them during the drill. The Press of Atlantic City reports that variable message signs will notify motorists of the exercise.
Drivers are advised to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles. The NJDOT encourages checking their traffic information website for real-time updates. News 12 New Jersey notes that this exercise is part of ongoing efforts to enhance preparedness for natural disasters.