Harvey Cedars is hosting a kickoff event for the summer Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety campaign along the Jersey Shore on May 22, at 10 a.m. Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, which brings thousands of people daily to New Jersey’s beaches. In addition to Harvey Cedars, several other communities will be promoting pedestrian safety this summer including Beach Haven, Surf City, Manchester Township, Mantoloking, Monmouth Beach and Point Pleasant Beach.
With the influx of beachgoers visiting Long Beach Island and other shore communities, and more people walking and biking in the warmer weather, it’s important to emphasize safety.
Street Smart NJ, created by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), is a public awareness and behavioral change campaign that emphasizes educating drivers and pedestrians through mass media and grassroots outreach, as well as targeted enforcement. Police officers focus on engaging and educating, rather than simply issuing citations. Street Smart NJ complements, but doesn’t replace, other state and local efforts to build safer streets and sidewalks, enforce laws and train better road users.
LBI was one of the first communities to pilot Street Smart NJ after it was created in 2013. Since then, more than 250 municipalities across the state have hosted campaigns. The more communities that participate, the more we can raise awareness of safe travel practices.
Participants include:
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Harvey Cedars Police Chief Robert Burnaford
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Harvey Cedars Mayor John Imperiale
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Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano, New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police
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Manchester Police Chief Antonio Ellis, Ocean County Police Chief’s Association
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Michael J. Rizol Jr., Director, New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety