Roxbury Hopes Pavement Stripes, More Flashing Signs Will Stop Crashes at Succasunna Crossroad

ROXBURY, NJ – The township is installing raised pavement markers and more flashing warning signs at the intersection of Eyland Avenue, Unneberg Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road in Succasunna, the scene of many accidents.

The plan was announced by Roxbury Township Manager John Shepherd at Tuesday’s meeting of the Roxbury Mayor and Council

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“We tried to study the situation and tried to figure out what was going on, and we really think that additional signage is warranted at that intersection for some motorists traveling on Unneberg or Pleasant Hill,” he said. “They are either just not stopping at the intersection or they are stopping and continuing through the intersection and causing accidents with traffic crossing on Eyland.”

The plan is to install flashing “Stop Ahead” signs on Unneberg Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road, where there already exist flashing stop signs, Shepherd said.

Additionally, the township will hire Denville Line Painting to install raised pavement markings similar to those in place at Roxbury Mall.

Shepherd stressed these would not be “rumble strips,” which would create noise that would be disruptive to residents. “But they will alert you,” he said. “When you’re in a car and you drive over them, you know it; it has to get your attention.”

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Although traffic on Eyland Avenue has the right-of-way, radar-operated warning signs are going to be installed on that thoroughfare, said the manager. He said these will light up and alert Eyland Avenue drivers when vehicles on Unneberg Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road move into the intersection.

Much of the cost for the safety improvements will be covered by a grant of about $10,000 to come from the township’s insurance fund’s safety program, said Shepherd.

“Our hope and goal is to assist and resolve this problem,” he said. “When accidents occur, some people think we’re doing nothing. I don’t think that’s fair. It’s taken us a little bit of time … When we get it done, we can monitor things and see how it assists the intersection.”

Some Stop and Go, Some Just Go

According to documents provided to TAPinto Roxbury, there were 17 accidents at the intersection between Jan. 18, 2022 and June 19 of this year. Many drivers on Unneberg Avenue and/or Pleasant Hill Road said they stopped but didn’t see oncoming traffic on Eyland before proceeding. Some said they didn’t see the stop signs. One said he thought it was a 4-way-stop intersection.

Here are brief synopses of the accidents:

Jan. 18, 2022 – A Succasunna man going south on Eyland Avenue was struck by a Succasunna man going east on Unneberg Avenue who said he stopped but didn’t see the other car coming. There were no injuries.

Sept. 3, 2022 – A Maryland woman on Pleasant Hill Road said she stopped, checked traffic and thought it was safe to proceed. She collided with car going north on Eyland Avenue being driven by a Hackettstown man.

Sept. 9, 2022 – A Whitehouse Station man coming down Pleasant Hill Road thought it was safe to cross. He crashed into a Succasunna woman going south on Eyland Avenue. One injury was reported.

Jan. 8, 2023 – A Connecticut woman on Unneberg Avenue cut off a Succasunna man going north on Eyland Avenue. Two injuries resulted.

Jan. 19, 2023 – A Wharton man on Pleasant Hill Road crossed in front of a Succasunna woman traveling south on Eyland Avenue. The woman’s two children suffered minor injuries.

Jan. 27, 2023 – An East Stroudsburg woman driving on Unneberg Avenue said she stopped and crossed, not seeing a car going east on Eyland Avenue being driven by a Succasunna woman. There was one injury.

Oct. 14, 2023 – A Wharton man driving on Unneberg Avenue thought it was a 4-way stop as he approached Eyland. He stopped and then pulled out in front of a Flanders woman. There was one injury.

Oct. 31, 2023 – A Succasunna woman coming down Pleasant Hill Road said she stopped before heading to Unneberg Avenue. She pulled out in front of a Succasunna man going north on Eyland Avenue, who was unable to stop. She was deemed at fault. One injury resulted.

Dec. 21, 2023 – A Ledgewood woman, coming down Pleasant Hill Road, “advised she believed she stopped at the stop sign before proceeding to cross Eyland Avenue,” police said. Her vehicle struck a vehicle driven by a Stanhope woman. There were no injuries.

Jan. 11, 2024 – A Bedminster woman coming down Pleasant Hill Road failed to stop and smashed into a Succasunna driver. The incident caused the woman’s Jeep Grand Cherokee to roll over. There were two injuries.

Feb. 20, 2024 – An Elizabeth man driving on Pleasant Hill Road failed to stop and struck Flanders man going south on Eyland Avenue resulting in one injury.

March 9, 2024 – In an incident captured on dashcam , a Chester woman ran the stop sign on Pleasant Hill Road and hit a Dover driver going north on Eyland Avenue, causing her Toyota Highlander to roll over and land on a fire hydrant and utility pole.

The woman first said she was driving on Eyland Avenue and was struck by a crossing vehicle. “Due to being confused after the accident (she) would contact patrol on a later occasion and state she was traveling on Pleasant Hill Road towards Eyland Avenue,” when the crash took place, says the police report. Despite the violence of the crash, nobody was injured.

March 10, 2024 – A Lake Hopatcong woman driving on Unneberg Avenue said she stopped at the intersection and proceeded, failing to see a Flanders man approaching on Eyland Avenue. The impact caused a minor laceration on the woman’s hand.

March 26, 2024 – A 3-vehicle crash took place when a Lake Hopatcong man thought he had enough time to cross Eyland Avenue, was struck by a Flanders man going south whose vehicle spun out and hit a third car. There were two injuries.

April 19, 2024 – A Flanders woman ran the stop sign and hit a Succasunna man traveling on Eyland Avenue. Although she told police she stopped before proceeding, a witness said it did not appear she applied her brakes at all. No injuries resulted.

June 13, 2024 – The vehicle of an Oak Ridge man, who was driving south on Eyland Avenue, was hit by one driven by a Chester woman coming down Pleasant Hill Road. She said she didn’t see the stop sign. One injury was reported.

June 19, 2024 – A Morristown woman failed to stop at the Pleasant Hill Road stop sign and ran into a Succasunna man driving south on Eyland Avenue. One injury was reported.

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