Pope Alerts: State Police Will Text You With Traffic Updates

In case you haven’t heard, Pope Francis is visiting the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania area this week.

Now that you’ve come out from under your rock, the New Jersey State Police are offering residents the ability to stay up to the minute with the traffic ripple effect resulting form the pontiff’s moves when the Catholic church’s leader reaches Philadelphia on Saturday morning.

Residents can text PAPALVISIT to the number 888777 for “real-time alerts and information,” the state police said.

Pope Francis’s visit to Philadelphia over the weekend has already resulted in the closing of the Ben Franklin Bridge, one of two roadways connecting southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

Earlier this month the New Jersey State Police said residents and motorists in the area should treat the Papal visit like “a major snowstorm,” and only go out on the roadways if completely necessary.