New Jersey

9 Garden State Parkway Service Areas to Be Renamed After NJ Icons, Hall of Famers

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What to Know

  • In a measure to showcase the talent of New Jerseyans and their contributions on an international scale, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that nine service areas along the Garden State Parkway will be renamed after local icons inducted into the state's Hall of Fame.
  • The New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the nine service areas in honor of the notable New Jerseyans.
  • The famous New Jerseyans to receive this honor include well-known individuals in the arts, entertainment, and sports realms, as well as some in the journalism and literature fields.

In a measure to showcase the talent of New Jerseyans and their contributions on an international scale, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that nine service areas along the Garden State Parkway will be renamed after local icons inducted into the state's Hall of Fame.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the nine service areas in honor of the notable New Jerseyans.

“This is about putting New Jersey greatness on full display,” Murphy said in a statement. “This is the first part of an extended statewide exhibition of New Jersey heroes throughout our state. From military heroes on the Battleship New Jersey to historical figures on the New Jersey Turnpike to science and technology trailblazers at Newark Penn Station, New Jerseyans will find pride in our contributions to society and the world.”

The famous New Jerseyans to receive this honor include well-known individuals in the arts, entertainment, and sports realms, as well as some in the journalism and literature fields.

The nine service areas that will be renamed are:

  • Montvale: James Gandolfini Service Area
  • Brookdale North: Larry Doby Service Area
  • Brookdale South: Connie Chung Service Area
  • Vauxhall: Whitney Houston Service Area
  • Cheesequake: Jon Bon Jovi Service Area
  • Monmouth: Judy Blume Service Area
  • Forked River: Celia Cruz Service Area
  • Atlantic: Frank Sinatra Service Area
  • Ocean View: Toni Morrison Service Area

"Millions of New Jersey drivers travel on the Garden State Parkway every day,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Scaccetti-Gutierrez. “The service areas they visit during those travels are a fitting place to call attention to the accomplishments of their fellow New Jerseyans in the arts, entertainment, and sports. And there is no organization better suited to identify the New Jerseyans worthy of this recognition than the New Jersey Hall of Fame."

In keeping with the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s mission, the Garden State Parkway service area exhibits will encourage people to purposely choose their own heroes and learn about their paths to success.

“We encourage patrons in each service area to identify with one of our inductees and take to heart the advice our inductees provide on how to reach the pinnacle of their respective professions,” Steve Edwards, President of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “ The rest is up to you!”

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