It is sometimes believed that the circle (and street) gets its name from the Holland Tunnel, since the circle was built for the tunnel. Hagstrom maps even label the circle as Tunnel's Traffic Circle. However, the circle was named after the street, and the street was probably named after a John Tonnele, who died in 1852, or one of his descendants. Information on the Tonnele family is sparse, but at least some of them lived in Jersey City, where the street now runs. The street was named by 1883. There is some confusion about the spelling - whether the name has one 'L' or two - even within Jersey City, and street signs reflect both options.[4] However, the U.S. Postal Service favors "Tonnele," which reflects the spelling of the man after whom the street is named.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonnele_Circle

Coming east on Newark Avenue you are faced with street signs with both spellings at one corner.

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From Crossing Under the Hudson: The Story of the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, by Angus Kress Gillespie:

"The avenue has two numbers and two spellings. It's numbered Routes 1 and 9 and is spelled Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen but Tonele Avenue in Jersey City. The road is named for the first chairman of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, John Tonnelle or Tonele. He spelled it both ways himself, leading to everlasting typographical confusion."

I've notice Tonnelle is spelled with two ll, but street signs near Journal Square spells it as Tonnele. So what is the correct spelling? Yes, I realize it has nothing to do with the story.

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This particular area would probably fall under the category of the outer perimeter of the Western Slope. But you are right that it isn't part of the neighborhood proper. This was a crime of opportunity. Easy access, easy escape.

While this area of Tonnelle ave is in the Heights, I wouldn't categorize this as crime in the Heights. Tonnelle Ave is kind of a world unto itself. It isn't part of a neighborhood.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... _of_1400_at_gunpoint.html

Jersey City gas attendant robbed of $1,400 at gunpoint by two men