TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew to rename two sections of the Garden State Parkway in honor of individuals who lost their lives in auto accidents is now law.
S-1481 directs the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to designate two interchanges on the Garden State Parkway from Stone Harbor Boulevard to Christopher Meyer Memorial Interchange, and Crest Haven Road Interchange to Melvin M. Loftus Memorial Interchange.
“The tragedy these families experienced is heartbreaking, and unfortunately nothing we can do will make these events any less painful. This new law is one way we can honor those whose lives were lost and to say as a state that they will not be forgotten,” said Senator Van Drew (D-Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland).
In November 2004, 17-year-old Christopher Meyer was tragically killed in a car accident at the Stone Harbor Boulevard intersection of the Parkway. Since that day, others have died as a result of car accidents at the Shell Bay Avenue, Stone Harbor Boulevard, and Crest Haven Road intersections of the Garden State Parkway. Since his son’s death, Erik Meyer has been an advocate for the removal of the traffic lights at those intersections on the Garden State Parkway.
On August 7, 2003, 66 year old Melvin M. Loftus was killed while he was stopped at the Crest Haven Road intersection when a driver of a box truck didn’t notice the traffic signal, hit Mr. Loftus’ car and pushed it into on-coming traffic. Mr. Loftus was a father, husband and grandfather, he moved to our state in 2002 to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
“This measure honors the lives of Melvin M. Loftus and Christopher Meyer, and the tireless work of Mr. Meyer, who has been a steadfast advocate for safety improvements on the parkway. I am pleased that we are finally seeing these long-sought changes on the roadway, which I am confident will make a real, tangible difference to enhance safety in the area,” Van Drew said.
The bill was approved in the Senate by a vote of 40-0, and in the Assembly by a vote of 63-0.
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