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The Colonia High School cheerleader was killed in a single-car crash in 2009. Jennifer's parents established the JEMMS Foundation Inc., a year after her death, to provide scholarships to high school students in her nae and raises awareness toward reckless driving.
Part of the latter was the Route 9 sign, which has stood in its place since around 2012, with the OK from the DOT. Jennifer's mom, Lisa Metzger, says the sign serves not only as their family's signature, but their way of educating people, and warning against speeding.
Last month, Lisa got a call from state transportation officials saying the sign was deemed an "advertisement" and has to come down, she wrote in a Facebook post — livid and heartbroken.
"All I ever wanted to do was to hope we at least saved one person's life,"Metzger writes. "I will be taking this further until I have no fight left in me."
A DOT official apparently told her someone in the mayor's office wants the sign removed so the site can be redeveloped.
If she wants to keep the sign up, Lisa will have to apply for a permit, which will need to be approved.
Lisa said she had hoped someone in the mayor's office would have reached out to her before taking matters to the DOT.
A DOT spokesperson told NJ Advance Media that the sign had been removed by the Metzgers ahead of an upcoming construction project, and the mayor is working on relocating the sign.
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