NEWS

Route 15 on road to new name in Sussex

William Westhoven
@WWesthoven

District 24 legislators Sen. Steve Oroho and Assemblyman Parker Space announced on Monday they have introduced legislation to rename State Highway Route 15 in Sussex County in honor of the late Sen. Robert E. Littell.

Littell, who served nearly 40 years in the state legislature, retired in 2008 and died in November.

Oroho, who replaced Littell after he chose not to run in 2007, submitted the Senate bill S-2656, which is identical to the A-4042 bill introduced by Space in the Assembly. Both would designate the Sussex County portion of Route 15 as the “Sen. Robert E. Littell Memorial Highway.”

“Sen. Littell was a remarkable man who earned the respect of all he met through his kindness, fairness and dedication to bettering the lives of all New Jerseyans,” Oroho said. “Remarkably, through his years in Trenton he maintained a humble nature and never strayed from his priority of personally responding to the concerns of those in the neighborhoods he represented. ‘Bob,’ as he preferred to be called, was a loving husband and father and a personal friend and mentor to me and many others. Renaming this highway in his honor is a fitting tribute to a man who has left such an important and lasting legacy in New Jersey, especially Sussex County.”

While in the legislature, Littell assisted in opening two centers for child-abuse victims and sponsored legislation that led to the creation of the Commission on Open Space, the formation of the Garden State Preservation Trust, the preservation of Sterling Forest, and the establishment of the Farmland Preservation Program.

Littell’s daughter, Alison Littell McHose, recently announced she is resigning her Assembly seat representing the 24th District to take a job as the borough administrator for Franklin (Sussex County). She has represented the district in Trenton since 2003.

Her father entered the assembly in 1968 and moved to the Senate in 1992.

The 24th District covers all of Sussex County and portions of Warren and Morris counties, including Mount Olive.

“Sen. Littell was dedicated not only to the constituents he represented, but all of New Jersey,” Space said. “His commitment to public service is an example to everyone that you can make a difference.”

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com.