Hunterdon County Approves Changes to Route 617 Following Fatal Accident in Franklin Township in August

FRANKLIN TWP. – Changes are coming to Hunterdon County’s Route 617 following a three-vehicle fatal accident in August, including creating an all-ways stop at the intersection where the accident occurred.

That accident at the intersection of Route 617 – known in that rural portion of Franklin as Sidney Road, Hogback Road and Lower Landsdown Road – resulted in the death of 16-year-old Sophia DeTorres, of Pittstown, and injured four other vehicle occupants, some of whom were traveling to North Hunterdon High School in Clinton Township for the first day of school.

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Hogback is a cut-through road from Route 513 in Pittstown to Sidney Road, and Lower Landsdown Road is a backroad way to the high school on Route 31.

Route 617 runs north from Flemington through Raritan and Franklin townships to connect with Route 513 in Clinton Township, and Exit 15, one of the busier exchanges on Route 78.

Police have not related full details of the accident. Franklin Township Police Chief Timothy Snyder said Sept. 4 that the crash is still under investigation.

“The loss of such a young life is a tragedy that affects our entire community,” said Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Jeff Kuhl. “Our goal is to create a safer environment for all road users, especially our young drivers who frequently use this intersection.”

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Following a county investigation of the traffic conditions along that section of the county road, and an Aug. 27 request from the Franklin Township Committee for action, the county commissioners on Sept. 3 approved several changes along Route 617. One such decision was to create an all-way stop at the intersection of Hogback-Lower Landsdown-Sidney roads.

An Aug. 27 letter from the Franklin Township Committee said, “On Aug. 22, many members of the Franklin Township community attended the August township committee meeting to express their concerns regarding the intersection. With school back in session, the committee and the community fear that this tragedy may be repeated if no action is taken to address the sight-line issue or the speed limit on the county road.”

The speed limit on Route 617 is 45 miles per hour, with some localized variations, such as the 35-mile-per-hour zone in Cherryville and a 40-mile-per-hour section in Franklin.

In addition, thousands have signed a change.org petition asking for improvements to the intersection near the municipal building.

Commissioner Susan Soloway said that based on regulations set in place in 2023, the county is allowed to review road rules following a total of six fatal accidents. The Aug. 22 fatal crash was the sixth in Hunterdon County in 2024, state police records show.

A number of changes for Route 617, starting in Flemington and Raritan Township, were approved.

At the intersection of routes 612 (Sand Hill Road, Bartles Corner Road) and Route 617 (Thatcher Hill Road at that point), a yield sign will be placed impacting westbound traffic coming to that intersection from Route 31 and Hunterdon Medical Center. Currently, there is no stop or yield on that approach to Route 617.

A stop sign will be placed at that intersection for south bound traffic (turning toward Flemington), where now there is an un-signed turning lane. There is already a stop sign at that intersection for northbound traffic from Flemington.

The Hogback-Lower Landsdown-Sidney road intersection will be designated an all-way stop intersection. Stop signs are in place on Hogback and Lower Landsdown roads.

Stop signs will be placed on both directions of Route 617.

These changes will be supported by electronic messaging boards along the affected roads, the county said.

Snyder said he is supportive of the changes, and is glad to see additional supportive actions will be taken as the new alignments are introduced.

“Without additional warnings, we could see an increase in small accidents, fender benders,” he said. “It’s not easy to go from 40 to a dead stop.”

He also said the township is discussing ways to improve the sight-lines in area of the intersection.

Kuhl said the changes could take two months to implement.

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