State Hurricane Evacuation Drill to Take Place on I-195 on Thursday

TRENTON, NJ — Drivers who see an increased police presence on I-195 should not be alarmed, according to state officials.

New Jersey's transportation and emergency agencies will be conducting their annual hurricane evacuation exercises on Thursday, July 18 on several major roads and highways throughout the state, including I-195 beginning in Robbinsville, to practice and refine response activities in the event of a major hurricane.

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While no roads will be closed during the drill, motorists can expect to see an increased presence of several agencies, including the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Drivers are advised to use caution on the following key shore evacuation routes on Thursday, as work and law enforcement crews will be present:

• I-195 : Mile post 6 in Robbinsville to approximately mile post 34 in Wall
• 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
• 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

The main element of Thursday's exercise is preparing to set up a contraflow — reversing traffic on a section of the roadway to travel in the opposite direction — on the highways that service as evacuation routes for the Jersey Shore. Crews will be staging cones, barrels and message boards in designated locations along the sides of the highways, but will not be deploying the materials.

Message signs will be notifying drivers of the exercise as it is underway.

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Drivers are encouraged to "Slow Down and Move Over" if they are able when they see transportation or emergency personnel on the side of the road.

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