Urban is pleased to announce that the White Horse Circle Improvements Project in Hamilton Township has been named Project of the Year by the American Society of Highway Engineers’ Southern and North Central New Jersey chapters (ASHE SNJ & NCNJ). The project was recognized in the Under $5 Million category.

“We would like to congratulate the NJDOT, South State, and all others involved in the successful completion of this project, and on this recognition from ASHE,” said Bill McGarrigel, PE, Urban’s vice president and general manager for transportation planning and design services. “This award recognizes the success and technical capability of our team, and we are honored to have been a part of this project.”

Once referred to as a “death trap” by the Times of Trenton, the intersections of Route 206, South Broad Street and White Horse Avenue was long overdue for a change. For drivers in Hamilton Township, White Horse Circle was more akin to a maze than an intersection, and it was often avoided by drivers because of the confusing crisscrossing lanes at the intersection. Between 2006 and 2008, there were a total of 161 crashes at the intersection of which 56 included injuries.

NJDOT began exploring ways to improve safety at the circle and enlisted Urban Engineers to develop conceptual designs for several options, including a modern roundabout that was ultimately selected for construction. Rather than cutting through the circle, all approaching vehicles would yield to circulating vehicles within the roundabout which would in turn remove several conflict points that existed in its original configuration. In the first six-months since its competition, the improvements to White Horse Circle have decreased the average total crashes per month by 71% and total injury crashes by 93%. The immediate positive impact these improvements are having on the traffic flow and safety of the traveling public is clearly evident.

ASHE SNJ and NCNJ’s joint mission is to provide a forum for members and partners of the highway industry to promote a safe, efficient, and sustainable highway system through education, innovation, and fellowship. They will be honoring the Project of the Year awardees in a webinar on June 25. Click here to register