Police launch big enforcement effort on major New Jersey highway

🚨 Major enforcement initiative announced for Route 80 corridor

🚨 Troopers from New Jersey and New York will increase patrols

🚨 There have been a series of fatal crashes on Route 80 in recent years

State Troopers from New Jersey are teaming up with troopers from New York state for a major enforcement initiative aimed at reducing fatal crashes on Route 80.

According to State Police records, there were 10 fatal crashes on Route 80 in New Jersey in 2023.

Dubbed 'Operation Blarney Stone,' the enforcement action will last all week, beginning Monday, March 25.

On Facebook, police said their goal was to "reduce crashes and get impaired drivers off the road."

The enforcement action, however, will not focus solely on drunk driving. Troopers will be looking for any driver behavior that could potentially lead to a crash.

Route 80 has a history of serious crashes

Wrong way crash

One person was killed in a crash on Route 80 in Passaic County involving a car going to the wrong way in March of 2019.

The driver of an Audi traveling east in the westbound lanes of Route 80 was killed just before 5 a.m. near Union Boulevard, according to State Police spokesman Trooper Charles Marchand, who did not disclose the age, gender or the identities of anyone involved with the crash.

According to State Police, at the time, that crash was the third in less than a year on Route 80

Dump truck smashes state police vehicles

Three State Police vehicles blocking a crash scene on Route 80 in Allamuchy were totaled when a tow truck smashed into them in February 2023.

Sgt. Philip Curry said marked vehicles with their emergency lights on and flares in the road blocked the left and center lanes on the eastbound side near Exit 19 (Route 517) around 11:15 p.m.

A heavy-duty tow truck pulling a box truck plowed into the blocked lanes and hit the three troop cars and an Allamuchy ambulance.

Miraculously, there were no injuries.

Deadly school bus crash

A 10-year old girl and a 51-year-old teacher died in a May 2018 school bus crash with a dump truck in Mount Olive.

The 77-year old bus driver, Hudy Muldrow, crossed three lanes of interstate highway after re-entering the highway from Route 206. The bus was hit by a dump truck as Muldrow attempted the illegal maneuver.

Muldrow was subsequently charged with vehicular homicide.

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