Editing New Jersey Route 15

{{Short description|State highway in New Jersey, US}}
{{about|the current New Jersey Route 15|the Route 15 that existed before 1927|New Jersey Route 15 (pre-1927)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{redirect-synonym|NJ 15|New Jersey's 15th congressional district}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=15
|established=January 1, 1953<ref name="1953renum">{{cite news |title=New Route Markers Go Up Next Month |url=http://www.fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2021/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette%201952-1953/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette%201952-1953%20-%200243.pdf |access-date=September 26, 2018 |work=The Hackettstown Gazette |date=December 18, 1952 |page=17}}</ref>
|length_mi=19.5
|length_ref=<ref name="sld">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000015__-.pdf|author=New Jersey Department of Transportation|author-link=New Jersey Department of Transportation|title=Route 15 straight line diagram|access-date=March 17, 2020}}</ref>
|map={{maplink-road}}
|map_custom=yes
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|US|46}} in [[Dover, New Jersey|Dover]]
|junction={{plainlist|
*{{jct|state=NJ|I|80}} in [[Wharton, New Jersey|Wharton]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|181}} in [[Sparta, New Jersey|Sparta]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|94}} in [[Lafayette Township, New Jersey|Lafayette Township]]
}}
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|US|206|CR|565}} in [[Frankford Township, New Jersey|Frankford Township]]
|counties=[[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris]], [[Sussex County, New Jersey|Sussex]]
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=14
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=17
}}

'''Route 15''' is a [[List of state highways in New Jersey|state highway]] in [[New Jersey]], spanning [[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris]] and [[Sussex County, New Jersey|Sussex]] counties, which travels for {{convert|19|mi|km}} from West MacFarland Street ([[U.S. Route 46]]) in [[Dover, New Jersey|Dover]] to an intersection of [[U.S. Route 206]] and Sussex Road ([[County Route 565 (New Jersey)|CR 565]]) in [[Frankford Township, New Jersey|Frankford Township]]. It becomes a divided highway in [[Wharton, New Jersey|Wharton]] until becoming a [[freeway]] bypass near [[Sparta, New Jersey|Sparta]]. Route 15 was originally '''Route 6A''' from 1927 until 1953, when a renumbering occurred and the route was given its current number. Since the finishing of the Sparta Bypass, the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] and North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority have considered more bypasses and alignment changes for Route 15.

==Route description==
[[File:2021-08-08 14 00 25 View north along New Jersey State Route 15 from the overpass for Sussex County Route 517 in Sparta Township, Sussex County, New Jersey.jpg|left|thumb|Route&nbsp;15 northbound at CR&nbsp;517 interchange in Sparta Township]]

Route 15 currently exists in two disconnected segments. The southern segment begins in Downtown Dover at an intersection with [[U.S. Route 46|US&nbsp;46]] and Mount Hope Avenue ([[List of county routes in Morris County, New Jersey#661|CR 661]]). It follows North Bergen Street south a short distance to East Clinton Street, then turns west along East Clinton Street through Downtown Dover. This segment, which is signed in Downtown Dover, was disconnected from the rest of the route when a new intersection between U.S. Route 46 and Route 15 was constructed just northwest of Downtown Dover. Route 15 formerly passed under U.S. Route 46 along the [[Dover and Rockaway River Railroad]] at the location of this new intersection. The southern segment ends at a dead end just southeast of the new intersection, with the northern segment of Route 15 starting again at U.S. Route 46 almost directly above the rail line.<ref name="sld"/><ref name=GM_Dover>{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.887875,-74.5561245/40.8869523,-74.5613361/@40.8872026,-74.5597657,432m/am=t/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-74.5574099!2d40.8865853!3s0x89c30a8fce74cfef:0x69e70e95d967e048!1m0!3e0 |title=Route 15 - Dover segment |accessdate=January 20, 2019}}</ref>

From the new intersection with U.S. Route 46, Route 15 continues north on West Clinton Street, exiting Dover and entering [[Rockaway Township, New Jersey|Rockaway Township]]. The road remains two lanes past the turn for the [[Rockaway Townsquare]] shopping mall. For a very short distance Route 15 becomes a freeway as it crosses the interchange with [[Interstate 80 in New Jersey|Interstate 80]]. A mile north, the road becomes a four lane divided highway with exits for a few businesses and [[Picatinny Arsenal]]. At that point, Route 15 leaves Rockaway Township and enters [[Jefferson Township, New Jersey|Jefferson Township]]. In Jefferson Township, the northbound and southbound lanes become about a quarter mile apart as it climbs up a steep mountain.<ref name="sld"/> The southbound lanes have businesses, easy access to them, and a speed limit of {{convert|40|mph|kph}} as these were the original lanes of Route 15 when it was only a two lane highway. The northbound lanes are nearly a freeway with limited access to businesses on the southbound lanes. The northbound lanes have a speed limit of 50&nbsp;mph as well. These two lanes were built in the late 1960s.<ref name="sld"/><ref name=GM>{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.88669,-74.5622033/41.120376,-74.7130399/@41.0038758,-74.7775584,55257m/am=t/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e0 |accessdate=January 20, 2019}}</ref>
[[File:2018-07-27 07 39 35 View north along New Jersey State Route 15 and south along New Jersey State Route 94 (Lafayette Road) at Sussex County Route 623 (Sunset Inn Road) in Lafayette Township, Sussex County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|View north along Route 15 and south along Route 94 in Lafayette Township]]
Slightly farther north, Route 15 becomes a freeway and the northbound and southbound lanes come closer together. At this point, the original two-lane Route 15 breaks off into [[New Jersey Route 181|Route 181]], heading through Jefferson Township and into Downtown Sparta. Several miles north, the freeway leaves [[Jefferson Township, New Jersey|Jefferson Township]] in [[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris County]] and enters [[Sparta, New Jersey|Sparta]] in [[Sussex County, New Jersey|Sussex County]], bypassing Downtown Sparta.<ref name="sld"/> After bypassing Downtown Sparta, Route 181 ends and merges onto Route 15. The freeway ends and Route 15 becomes a two-lane road before crossing the [[New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway]] at [[Level crossing|grade crossing]]. After Route 15 leaves Sparta and enters [[Lafayette Township, New Jersey|Lafayette Township]], it merges with [[New Jersey Route 94|Route 94]]. Routes 15 and 94 run as a [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] until Route 94 turns off to the southeast while Route 15 heads northwest. It continues into Frankford Township and comes to an end at the intersection of [[U.S. Route 206]] and Sussex Road ([[County Route 565 (New Jersey)|CR 565]]).<ref name="sld"/><ref name=GM/>

==History==
{{infobox road small
|state=NJ
|type=NJ 1926
|county=
|route=6A
|location= [[Dover, New Jersey|Dover]]&ndash;[[Frankford Township, New Jersey|Frankford Township]]
|length_mi=
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|formed=1927<ref name=nj1927 />
|deleted=1953
}}
Route 15 follows the course of an old Lenape trail running from what is now Ross Corner to Dover.<ref>Snyder, John (1969). [https://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries 1606-1968'']</ref> In 1804, this road was legislated as a part of the Union Turnpike, which ran from Morristown north{{citation needed|reason=Please add a reference and expand this to include the northern terminus.|date=January 2025}}. In 1938, Route&nbsp;15 was designated as State Highway Route 6A.<ref name="nj1927">State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Chapter 47.</ref> In the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering|1953 renumbering]], the current designation was assigned. {{citation needed span|reason=Please add reference(s) for this section as it makes many statements.|date=January 2025|Originally, Route&nbsp;15 was a two-lane road for its entire length. The road originally went through Downtown Sparta and today that road is known as Route 181. In the mid-1960s, plans were made to widen Route&nbsp;15 to four lanes through Jefferson Township. However, businesses were on both sides of this road, thus making a widening difficult. As a result, the additional two lanes were built behind the businesses on the east side of the road. In 1974, a freeway bypass was built around the Sparta Business District and into Jefferson Township. The freeway began in northern Sparta and extended to Lake Hopatcong.}}
[[File:Old NJ 15 at Woodruffs Gap.jpg|left|thumb|Route&nbsp;15's former and current alignment over the [[Lehigh and Hudson River Railway]] alignment in Woodruffs Gap]]
In 2004, State Department of Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettire and state Senator [[Robert Littell (politician)|Robert Littell]] announced the completion of a project of restructuring the Route&nbsp;15-Houses Corner Road intersection, which broke ground in 2002 at the hand of then-governor [[James E. McGreevey]]. The original intersection was a signalized intersection with a blinking light and no left turn-off lanes from Route&nbsp;15. Because of heavy traffic, turning left onto Houses Corner Road became dangerous for motorists. The intersection now has a full traffic light. The project cost a total of $15.5 million.<ref name="houses corner road">{{cite web
| author=New Jersey Department of Transportation
| author-link=New Jersey Department of Transportation
| year=2007
| title=Route 15 and Houses Corner Road project completed in Sussex County
| publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] 
| access-date=2007-09-29
| url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2004/080504-2.shtm
}}</ref>

Wilson Drive and White Lake Road were also realigned to form one signalized intersection, with completion originally expected in 2008. The intersection was improved, with construction finishing on June 1, 2009, after eight months of work starting in October 2008. The project cost the state $2.3 million to fund for construction by the [[North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority]].<ref name="wilson/whitelake finished">{{cite news|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2009/060109.shtm|title=NJDOT announces completion of intersection improvements at Route 15, Wilson Drive and White Lake Road in Sparta|date=June 1, 2009|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref><ref name="njtpas">{{cite web
| author=North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
| year=2007
| title=Route 15 Improvements
| publisher=North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
| access-date=2007-09-29
| url=http://www.njtpa.org/capital_programming/WebTables/column3/Morris.pdf 
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070621031504/http://www.njtpa.org/capital_programming/WebTables/column3/Morris.pdf |archive-date = June 21, 2007}}</ref> Studies are being made to improve the Route 15 corridor from [[Interstate 80 in New Jersey|Interstate 80]] to [[U.S. Route 206]].  Concepts include widening, the addition of climbing lanes, and a potential bypass of [[Lafayette Township, New Jersey|Lafayette Township]].<ref name="bypass">{{cite web
| author=New Jersey Department of Transportation
| author-link=New Jersey Department of Transportation
| year=2007
| title=Route 15 bypass study
| publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] 
| access-date=2007-09-28
| url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/studies/rt15/
}}</ref>

The project to construct a new intersection at US&nbsp;46 in Dover began in 2008; the project also entailed the replacement of bridges on US&nbsp;46 over the [[Morristown and Erie Railway]] (now Dover and Rockaway River Railroad) and the [[Rockaway River]]. A temporary intersection was completed in January 2010 utilizing a former US&nbsp;46 westbound–Route&nbsp;15 northbound ramp.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2010/01/dover_intersection_of_routes_1.html |title=Dover intersection of Routes 15, 46 being realigned by state |author=Staff |date=January 28, 2010 |website=[[NJ.com]] |access-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref> The permanent intersection was completed in August 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2011/081111.shtm |title=New Route 15 intersection with Route 46 opens in Dover |date=August 11, 2011 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation (press release) |access-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref>

In February 2012, a bill was introduced in the [[New Jersey General Assembly]] by [[Michael Patrick Carroll]], [[Gary R. Chiusano]], [[Alison Littell McHose]] and [[Jay Webber]] to designate Route 15 as the "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway" to honor U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref>[https://pub.njleg.gov/bills/2012/A2500/2208_I1.HTM New Jersey Assembly Bill 2208], introduced February 2, 2012. [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed February 19 2025.</ref>
{{Clear}}

==Major intersections==
{{Jcttop|state=NJ|length_ref=<ref name="sld"/>}}
{{NJint
|county=Morris
|cspan=10
|location=Dover
|lspan=4
|mile=0.0
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|46|name1=E McFarlan St}}<br>{{jct|state=NJ|CR|661|county1=Morris|name1=Mt Hope Ave|to2=to|I|80}}
|notes= Southern terminus of Route 15
}}
{{NJint
|mile=0.3
|road=Dead end
}}
{{Jctgap|text={{convert|0.0|mi|adj=on}} gap in route}}
{{NJint
|mile=0.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|46|name1=W McFarland St|city1=Clifton|location2=[[Lake Hopatcong]]}}
}}
{{NJint
|location=Wharton
|lspan=2
|mile=2.0
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|I|80|city1=Netcong|location2=[[Delaware Water Gap]]|location3=[[Denville Township, New Jersey|Denville Township]]|city4=Paterson|location5=[[New York City]]}}
|notes=Exit 34 eastbound, 34A-B (I-80); no northbound access to I-80 west
}}
{{NJint
|mile=2.5 
|type=incomplete
|road=N Main St
|notes=Interchange; no northbound exit; access via [[List of county routes in Morris County, New Jersey#634|CR 634]]
}}
{{NJint
|location=Rockaway Township
|lspan=2
|mile=2.5
|road=[[Mount Hope, New Jersey|Mount Hope]], [[Lake Denmark]]
|notes=Interchange; southbound entrance via [[U-turn]]
}}
{{NJint
|mile=2.6
|road=[[Picatinny Arsenal]] 
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{NJint
|location=Jefferson Township
|lspan=2
|mile=6.6
|type=incomplete
|road=[[Lake Shawnee (New Jersey)|Lake Shawnee]]
|notes=Northbound exit only
}}
{{NJint
|mile=6.9
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|181|dir1=north|road|Weldon Rd|location1=[[Jefferson Township, New Jersey|Lake Forest]]|location2=[[Jefferson Township, New Jersey|Woodport]]|location3=[[Jefferson Township, New Jersey|Milton]]|city4=Oak Ridge|location5=[[Lake Hopatcong|Lake Hopatcong North Shore]]}}
|notes=Interchange; south end of the freeway; southern terminus of Route 181
}}
{{NJint
|county=Sussex
|cspan=6
|location=Sparta 
|lspan=3
|mile=10.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|181|city1=Sparta|location2=[[Lake Mohawk, New Jersey|Lake Mohawk Business District]]}}
}}
{{NJint
|mile=12.5
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|517|city1=Sparta|city2=Franklin}}
}}
{{NJint
|mile=14.1
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|181|dir1=south|name1=Woodport Rd|city1=Sparta|location2=[[Lake Mohawk, New Jersey|Lake Mohawk Business Dist]]}}
|notes=Northern end of the freeway section; northern terminus of Route 181
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|location=Lafayette Township
|lspan=2
|mile=16.6
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|94|dir1=north|city1=Franklin|city2=Hamburg|location3=[[Vernon Township, New Jersey|Vernon]]}}<br>{{jct|state=NJ|CR|623|county1=Sussex|dir1=south|name1=Sunset Inn Rd}}
|notes=Southern end of the [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with Route 94<hr>Northern terminus of CR 623
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|mile=16.8
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|94|dir1=south|city1=Newton}}
|notes=Northern end of the concurrency with Route 94 
}}
{{NJint
|township=Frankford
|mile=19.5
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|206|city1=Branchville|location2=[[Milford, Pennsylvania|Milford]]|city3=Newton}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|CR|565|dir1=north|name1=Sussex Rd|city1=Sussex|extra=airport|location2=[[Sussex Airport (New Jersey)|Airport]]}}
|notes= Northern terminus of Route 15<hr>Southern terminus of CR 565
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete}}

==See also==
*{{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
*{{Portal-inline|New Jersey}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|New Jersey Route 15}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.nycroads.com/roads/NJ-15/ NYCRoads.com NJ 15 Freeway]
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/nj_15/ New Jersey Roads: Route 15]

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Jersey Route 015}}
[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|015]]
[[Category:Limited-access roads in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Morris County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Sussex County, New Jersey]]