Why Route 17 Became So Dangerous

For years, Route 17 was one of the most dangerous highways in New Jersey. But the real problem wasn’t just one intersection—it was the road itself. Originally designed to handle growing traffic in North Jersey, Route 17 quickly became overwhelmed as development exploded along the corridor. Businesses, homes, and local streets all fed directly into the highway, turning it into something it was never meant to be. What was built as a through road was now functioning as both a highway and a local street—at the same time. With the opening of the George Washington Bridge, traffic volumes surged even further. Speeds increased, congestion worsened, and drivers were forced to navigate constant turning movements, crossings, and conflicts along a road that simply couldn’t keep up. In this video, we take a closer look at how Route 17 became so dangerous—and why fixing it would take far more than just a few traffic lights. 1:32 Ridgewood Avenue fix and photos 2:08 Linwood Avenue/Ridgewood Circle fix and photos 3:19 the former site of Deadman's Circle at Racetrack Rd. 4:04 Hollywood Avenue interchange and pics 4:25 Sheridan Avenue massive interchange and pics 6:14 Allendale Avenue Route 17 New Jersey, NJ Route 17 history, dangerous highways New Jersey, Paramus NJ traffic, George Washington Bridge traffic, North Jersey highways, highway design problems, road safety history, New Jersey transportation history, Route 17 accidents, urban highway congestion, infrastructure history USA, road engineering failures, traffic congestion NJ