Essex County celebrated the completion of a modern roundabout at the intersection of West Hobart Gap Road and Walnut Street in Livingston on August 12. The revamped construction transforms the three-leg intersection into a controlled one-lane circular pattern that improves safety.
“We are pleased to work with our municipal partners in Livingston to modernize this intersection, so traffic flow and safety are improved,” Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said. “This intersection is heavily trafficked because of its proximity to a commuter parking lot and because it links to other major roadways. Controlling the flow of traffic in a single lane that is more coordinated will improve the intersection for motorists and pedestrians.”
The $1.4 million project was completed with federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds through the NJTPA’s Subregional Safety Improvement Program.
“We have a great working relationship with Essex County on projects such as these that enhance the pedestrian and traffic safety in our communities,” said David W. Behrend, NJTPA Executive Director. “Working on federally funded projects can be difficult, but Essex County has proven time and again that they can deliver.”
The intersection is located near and provides access to the Livingston Mall and a community bus park and ride lot, and there are about 15,000 vehicles that pass through the intersection on a daily basis. The three-legged intersection previously was regulated by stop signs and experienced recurring congestion, lengthy vehicle back ups and a high frequency of rear-end crashes.
The roundabout design funnels all traffic into a circular, single lane around a central island. This provides a more consistent flow of traffic through the intersection and improves visibility for drivers. Other improvements included with the roundabout are a reduced vehicular speed limit, roadway illumination, advanced warning signage, pavement markings, pedestrian crosswalks and bicycle-accessible ramps.