New Jersey Route 183

View south along Route 183 just south of Dell Road in Stanhope

Route 183 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with U.S. Route 206 and Interstate 80 in the community of Roxbury, New Jersey. The route heads northward, intersecting with local dead-end streets deep in the forests of rural Morris County. Route 183 passes a nearby factory and intersects U.S. Route 46. The route continues northward, crossing over a creek and entering downtown Netcong. Downtown Netcong is highly developed, and Route 183 serves as the main street through the community. The highway intersects with Allen Street (Morris County Route 631) before running along the shores of Lake Musconetcong and into Sussex County.[1][2]

Upon entering Sussex County, Route 183 enters the community of Stanhope. At the intersection with Musconetcong Avenue, the highway turns to the northwest, leaving the shores of the lake. Route 183 continues through the residential developments in Stanhope, working its way into the mountains above the lake. The roadway passes west of a park and ride lot located at an American Legion hall. At the intersection with Dell Road, Route 183 becomes intertwined with the interchange on U.S. Route 206 northbound, and the highways merge a short distance later in Stanhope.[1][2]

Route 183 northbound at I-80/US 206 in Roxbury Township

The original designation in the area of Netcong along Route 183's alignment is State Highway Route 31, which consisted much of the alignment of current-day U.S. Route 206. The route was first assigned in the 1927 state highway renumbering as a co-designation to US 206.[3] This alignment remained in place for about two and half decades, when in the 1953 state highway renumbering, the State Highway Route 31 designation was dropped in favor of using U.S. Route 206.[4] The route in Netcong stayed the same for several years after the decommissioning until the Regional Plan Association proposed a freeway realignment of US 206 in 1962.[5] The highway was to serve local recreation areas and relieve traffic on Interstate 287 to the east.[6] The route was advocated through 1972, and after the fiscal year budgets went sour, the proposal was dropped.[7]

Route 183 (before and after Netcong Circle removal)

Route 183 heading northbound into downtown Netcong in June 2009, pre-elimination of the Netcong Circle.

Route 183 heading northbound over the Montclair-Boonton Line in December 2014 after the elimination of the Netcong Circle.

In 2007, the New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed the elimination of the Netcong Traffic Circle, located at the intersections of U.S. Route 46 and Route 183 just north of the interchange with Interstate 80. The project was to produce two outcomes: replacement of the New Jersey Transit bridge that Route 183 crosses, and the elimination of the Netcong Circle with a signalized intersection. The project had issues dealing with the vertical clearance of the overpass for U.S. Route 46 westbound. The removal of the circle would eliminate this bridge, and the land would go to use as the new signalized intersection, with pedestrian and bicycle fittings. The entire project cost about $13.3 million (2009 USD) of state and local funds to construct.[8] The Netcong Circle was replaced with a temporary junction in January 2013; the permanent intersection configuration opened in August of that year. The new bridge over the New Jersey Transit line opened in March 2013.[9]

The circle itself dated back to construction in 1938. The circle itself could not handle the 17,000 vehicles a year that use the large roadway daily, and was the site of several accidents, including 45 in 2007 alone. The entire traffic circle conversion will eliminate two businesses in the area and is still slated for construction.[10]

•  U.S. Roads portal
•  New Jersey portal

• Media related to New Jersey Route 183 at Wikimedia Commons
• New Jersey Roads: Route 183
• Route 183 Photos
• New Jersey Highway Ends - 183