NJ increasing police presence on Parkway, other key roads on Thursday

Police and road work crews are hitting some key New Jersey routes on Thursday, and the increased activity may slow down your commute.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation announced that groups are using July 18 to practice their response activities in the event of a major hurricane, and that includes using roads as evacuation routes.

The annual hurricane evacuation exercise will impact six commonly used roadways in the Garden State.

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No roads will be closed during the drill, according to NJDOT. But crews will be acting as if there's a real emergency afoot, staging cones, barrels, and message boards along the side of roadways. Such work would allow workers, in the event of an emergency, to reverse traffic on a section of roadway.

Motorists can expect to see an increased presence of New Jersey State Police, as well as NJDOT, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and South Jersey Transportation Authority crews.

The following routes will be impacted:

⚫ Atlantic City Expressway (entire length from Atlantic City to Washington Township)
⚫ Garden State Parkway (mile post 0 in Lower Township to mile post 38 in Egg Harbor)
⚫ I-195 (mile post 6 in Robbinsville to approximately mile post 34 in Wall)
⚫ Route 72 (mile post 13.8 in Barnegat to approximately mile post 29 in Ship Bottom)
⚫ Route 47 (mile post 16 to 21 in Dennis, and approximately mile post 32 to 35 in Maurice River)
⚫ Route 347 (mile post 0 in Dennis to approximately mile post 9 in Maurice River)

New Jersey officials are advising drivers to slow down and move over when approaching transportation or emergency personnel on the side of the road.

According to NJDOT, message signs will notify drivers that the increased activity is only an exercise.