Ledgewood Circle

The Ledgewood Circle was the intersection of Route 10 and U.S. Route 46 in the Ledgewood neighborhood of Roxbury Township, New Jersey. Both highways are major east-west arteries in Morris County, and both are also lined with businesses and strip malls. Consequently Route 10 and U.S. Route 46 experience heavy daily use, especially during the rush hours and on the weekends [http://www.roxburynewjersey.com/history.htm History of Roxbury Township, Morris County, New Jersey NJ ] ] . This intersection is also the western terminus of Route 10 [New Jersey Department of Transportation] .

Replacing the Ledgewood Circle

In the mid 1990s, the New Jersey Department of Transportation dismantled the Ledgewood Circle and reconfigured the two highways into a signalized T-intersection.

Before the circle was replaced, eastbound traffic on U.S. Route 46 had to travel almost three-quarters of the way around the circle (while contending with traffic merging on to U.S. Route 46 east and west from Route 10 west) in order to continue traveling on U.S. Route 46 east.

Travelers on U.S. Route 46 west wishing to travel on Route 10 east also had to go almost three-quarters of the way around the circle with the same merging traffic to reach Route 10 eastbound. There were traffic metering signals to provide gaps in traffic so that motorists could in theory move in and out of the circle safely, but these signals were overwhelmed by the volume of daily traffic entering and exiting the circle and were not effective.

Speeding around the circle was a hazard as well because the roadway was broad and the circle itself had a large diameter, allowing those who wished to travel at highway speeds (50-55 m.p.h.) to do so even though these speeds were significantly higher than the advisory speed of 25 m.p.h. This was the cause of many serious automobile accidents at the circle and another reason that the circle was replaced.

Since Replacement

Since the circle has been replaced, traffic approaching the former circle from the west while traveling eastbound on U.S. Route 46 uses a new roadway that cuts through the middle of the former circle. Traffic must then use two dedicated left turn lanes governed by a signal to turn onto the original alignment of U.S. Route 46 eastbound. Motorists wishing to travel on Route 10 eastbound maintain their travel lanes as those lanes become Route 10 eastbound. There is a signal for these lanes too, it stops eastbound traffic to allow for U-turns and westbound U.S. Route 46 traffic to make a left turn onto eastbound Route 10.

Traffic traveling on U.S. Route 46 westbound merges on to a new two lane roadway that occupies the former southwestern roadway of the old circle. Traffic is governed by a signal which permits westbound U.S. Route 46 traffic to merge on to the original divided highway that carried U.S. Route 46 west from the circle. Westbound travellers wishing to make a left turn onto Route 10 eastbound bear left from U.S. Route 46 westbound before this merge and use dedicated left turn lanes to make this move.

Traffic on Route 10 westbound wishing to travel onto U.S. Route 46 eastbound merge right at the terminus of Route 10 and travel onto the original alignment of U.S. 46 eastbound. There is no signal for this traffic and it must yield to on coming traffic. Travelers on Route 10 westbound wishing to use U.S. Route 46 westbound maintain their travel lanes and merge onto the original U.S. Route 46 westbound divided highway via a new roadway built through the center of the old Ledgewood Circle. These lanes are governed by a traffic signal which allows for U-turns and U.S. Route 46 eastbound traffic to make a left turn to continue traveling on U.S. Route 46 eastbound.

While the intersection is more heavily traveled than anytime before, traffic moves through much more safely and fluidly with this new alignment. [ [http://www.hasbrouck-heights.com/info/circle.shtml The Circle ] ]

Tree Controversy

A very large red maple tree grew in the center of the former Ledgewood Circle. The tree was going to be destroyed during the replacement project, and as a result a grassroots effort was taken up by local residents to save the tree. [Chen, David W. "The Great Outdoors: Root, Branch, and Plenty of Burl
The New York Times", February 18, 1996, New Jersey Weekly Desk Late Edition - Final, Section 13NJ, Page 7, Column 1, 719 words] The group wished to have the tree transplanted to another location within Roxbury Township, but due to its age and root system the move would have been costly and there would have been no guarantee that the tree would survive the move. The contractor and state worked with the group as best each could, but eventually the contractor needed to continue progress on the project. With no resolution available and time running short, the tree was destroyed by a bulldozer and cut into smaller pieces to be hauled away. With that, the contractor began the last phase of the project and the effort to save and move the tree was over, yet many people were upset and angry that the tree was destroyed

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