EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J.~ The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will conduct a Public Hearing in Mount Laurel pursuant to Governor’s Executive Order No. 172. The Public Hearing will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Mount Laurel Municipal Center, 100 Mount Laurel Road, Mount Laurel, New Jersey on Wednesday, April 17, 2002.

The Public Hearing concerns proposed fabrication and erection of a sound barrier on the Turnpike’s right-of-way, adjacent to the northbound right shoulder beginning at Milepost 38.75 and extending across the Turnpike Authority’s bridge structure over Hartford Road in Mount Laurel Township. Under the proposal, approximately 1,000 feet of ground mounted sound barrier and 100 feet of bridge mounted sound barrier, 12 feet high will be fabricated and erected.

Copies of the proposed plans are available for review at the Turnpike Authority’s offices located at its Administration Building, Route 18 and Interchange 9, East Brunswick, New Jersey. The proposed plans are also available at the Mount Laurel Municipal Clerk’s Office and the Burlington County Engineer’s Office

The hearing format will consist of an official presentation at 7:00 p.m. by the Turnpike Authority, followed by the opportunity for members of the public to offer verbal or written comments. Persons wishing to make verbal comments that have registered in advance will be invited to speak first, in turn, by the Hearing Officer. After all registrants have spoken, all others wishing to speak will be given the opportunity to do so.

All verbal statements will be recorded by a Certified Court Reporter and will become part of the official Public Hearing Record. In order to facilitate testimony from the public, speakers will be allotted ten (10) minutes each.

The record shall remain open for fifteen (15) days after the hearing, until May 3, 2002, and any additional comments must be submitted in writing to: Hearing Officer, Daniel DeStefano, Engineering Department, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, P.O. Box 1121, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903. All comments will be addressed in a written Final Hearing Report.