Jersey barriers (1969)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 14:58:30 -0400, bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

>OED doesn't have "Jersey barriers." Is it in DARE? Anybody got a good
>date for it? Other names for it?
[...]
>Harbor Freeway Will Test Concrete Divider; Chain-Link Fence Repairs
>Caused Jams So Experiment Is Being Tried on 3-Mile Stretch
>LEE DYE. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.:
>Mar 2, 1969. p. B1 (1 page)

The L.A. Times cite is for "New Jersey barrier":

-----
1969 _L.A. Times_ 2 Mar. C1/5 These and other reasons compelled the
Division of Highways to look with interest when the state of New Jersey
began experimenting with a new type of concrete divider. "The New Jersey
barrier has been effective in virtually eliminating cross-median
accidents," Russel said.
-----

But here's a cite for "Jersey barrier" from the same year:

-----
1969 H. ELLISON "Along the Scenic Route" in _The Essential Ellison_ (2001)
480 He watched the vehicle skid, wheelless, for a quarter of a mile down
the Freeway before it caught the inner breakwall of the Jersey Barrier,
shot high in the air, and came down over.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1883398460/
-----

I'm sure this could be antedated by a decade or so, but there's an
unfortunate dearth of digitized sources from NJ.


--Ben Zimmer