TRENTON, NJ – Digital highway signs across New Jersey once pushed humorous public service messages like “We’ll be blunt, don’t drive high”, “Nice car, did it come with a turn signal”, and “Get your head out of your apps”.
That was until the federal government that paid for those life-saving highway signs told Phil Murphy and his administration to knock it off.
Now, that the joke’s over, they’re warning New Jerseyans about possible terrorist acts in the days ahead of the 22nd anniversary of 9/11.
Is there something we’re not being told?
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) has partnered with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to launch a public safety campaign aimed at encouraging motorists to report suspicious activities.
The campaign, which runs from September through mid-February, will feature almost 200 Variable Message Signs across major highways including the New Jersey Turnpike, I-78, I-195, and I-280, as well as Route 440. These signs will display the NJOHSP’s suspicious activity reporting number, mainly during morning and afternoon rush hours seven days a week until February 17, 2024.
NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran emphasized the public’s role in this initiative, stating, “The goal of the campaign is to remind residents and visitors to be aware of their surroundings and to report suspicious activity. The public is one of our first and best lines of defense against terrorism.”
NJDOT Commissioner and NJ Turnpike Authority Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti added that millions of motorists will see these important reminders as they drive through the state.
The timing of this campaign aligns with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s national “If You See Something, Say Something” Awareness Day on September 25.
NJTA Executive Director James Carone remarked that the nearly 700,000 average daily drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike have an important role in maintaining public safety.
The campaign will also feature alerts on the 511nj.org website, both in the “Severity Alert” and “Safety Message” sections.
It’s a far cry from “Slow down. This ain’t Thunder Road”.
Hopefully, the next messages won’t be, “Don’t let your life tick away, it’s a bomb” or “That package is bomb-astic”.