Central Avenue (Hudson County)
Encyclopedia
County Route 663 is 1.6 miles (2.57 km) long Central Avenue in Jersey City Heights, and is the main commercial thoroughfare for that section of Jersey City
, New Jersey
.
It runs between Newark Avenue
near Five Corners
and Paterson Plank Road
near Transfer Station. The avenue continues north through Union City
without the county route designation to 35th Street (CR 674), two blocks norrth of Hackensack Plank Road
.
Central Avenue was the "Main Street" of Hudson City
, one of the municipalities which elected to join Jersey City in a referendum held in 1863. The avenue begins at what had been the southern border of the town that is now near the county seat
of Hudson County and the historic Hudson County Courthouse
. Travelling north it almost immediately passes over three man-made ravines, or "cuts
" through the part of the Hudson Palisades called Bergen Hill
. The now-unused Bergen Arches
and the single track Long Dock Tunnel
were created for railroads, while the The Divided Highway was created to allow traffic to by-pass local roads while travelling between the Holland Tunnel
and the Pulaski Skyway
.
Upon entering the Heights, it becomes residential for a few blocks, as it passes the Jersey City Reservoir #3 and Pershing Field the section's largest municipal park. Thereafter it becomes a local shopping street. Businesses, retail, and food shops are mostly located in three and four storey buildings, many built in the late 19th and early 20th century. It again becomes more residential as it approaches the city line in Washington Park.
The trajectory of the avenue is adjusted by a short "dog-leg turn" to the west along Paterson Plank Road
and resumes in what was formerly West Hoboken
and is now a section of Union City
. It is a broad residential street of multiple family houses and low and mid rise apartment buildings. At 18th Street the avenue is once again "interrupted", this time at the grounds of the former Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
. It continues on the other side and soon thereafter passes over the Lincoln Tunnel Approach and Helix. Central Avenue ends two blocks north of the 32nd Street section of the Hackensack Plank Road
near the Holy Family Church complex which includes the Park Theater
, just west of Bergenline Avenue.
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
It runs between Newark Avenue
Newark Plank Road
The Newark Plank Road was a major 19th century artery between New Jersey's Hudson Waterfront and the burgeoning city of Newark, further inland across the New Jersey Meadows. As its name suggests, a plank road was constructed of wooden planks laid side-to-side on a roadbed. A charter to construct...
near Five Corners
Five Corners, Jersey City
Five Corners is at the intersection of Summit Avenue, Newark Avenue and Hoboken Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey and is a northeastern part of the larger Journal Square district...
and Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road is a road that runs through Passaic, Bergen and Hudson Counties in northeastern New Jersey originally lain in the colonial era. The route, connecting the city Paterson and the Hudson River waterfront, still exists...
near Transfer Station. The avenue continues north through Union City
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
without the county route designation to 35th Street (CR 674), two blocks norrth of Hackensack Plank Road
Hackensack Plank Road
The Hackensack Plank Road was a major artery which connected the cities of Hoboken and Hackensack, New Jersey Like its cousin routes, the Newark Plank Road and Paterson Plank Road, it travelled over Bergen Hill and across the Hackensack Meadows from the Hudson River waterfront to the city for...
.
Central Avenue was the "Main Street" of Hudson City
Hudson City, New Jersey
Hudson was a city that existed in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, from 1855 to 1870 when it became part of Jersey City.Hudson Town, a predecessor of Hudson City, was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 12, 1852, from portions of North Bergen Township.Hudson City itself...
, one of the municipalities which elected to join Jersey City in a referendum held in 1863. The avenue begins at what had been the southern border of the town that is now near the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Hudson County and the historic Hudson County Courthouse
Hudson County Courthouse
The Hudson County Courthouse or Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Courthouse is located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The six-story structure was originally built between 1906 and 1910 at a cost of $3,328,016.56...
. Travelling north it almost immediately passes over three man-made ravines, or "cuts
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
" through the part of the Hudson Palisades called Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill refers to the lower Hudson Palisades in New Jersey, USA, where they emerge on Bergen Neck, which in turn is the peninsula between the Hackensack and Hudson River, and their bays. In Hudson County, it reaches a height of 260 feet.-Rail:...
. The now-unused Bergen Arches
Bergen Arches
Bergen Arches is an abandoned railroad right of way through Bergen Hill in Jersey City, New Jersey.-History:...
and the single track Long Dock Tunnel
Long Dock Tunnel
The Long Dock Tunnel is a tunnel in New Jersey that runs diagonally through Bergen Hill, a section of the New Jersey Palisades in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States...
were created for railroads, while the The Divided Highway was created to allow traffic to by-pass local roads while travelling between the Holland Tunnel
Holland Tunnel
The Holland Tunnel is a highway tunnel under the Hudson River connecting the island of Manhattan in New York City with Jersey City, New Jersey at Interstate 78 on the mainland. Unusual for an American public works project, it is not named for a government official, politician, or local hero or...
and the Pulaski Skyway
Pulaski Skyway
The General Pulaski Skyway is a four-lane freeway composed of connected bridges in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey, carrying the designation of U.S. Route 1/9 for most of its length. The landmark structure has a total length of with the longest bridge spanning...
.
Upon entering the Heights, it becomes residential for a few blocks, as it passes the Jersey City Reservoir #3 and Pershing Field the section's largest municipal park. Thereafter it becomes a local shopping street. Businesses, retail, and food shops are mostly located in three and four storey buildings, many built in the late 19th and early 20th century. It again becomes more residential as it approaches the city line in Washington Park.
The trajectory of the avenue is adjusted by a short "dog-leg turn" to the west along Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road
Paterson Plank Road is a road that runs through Passaic, Bergen and Hudson Counties in northeastern New Jersey originally lain in the colonial era. The route, connecting the city Paterson and the Hudson River waterfront, still exists...
and resumes in what was formerly West Hoboken
West Hoboken, New Jersey
West Hoboken was a municipality that existed in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, from 1861 to 1925.West Hoboken was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1861, from portions of North Bergen Township. The township was reincorporated on...
and is now a section of Union City
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
. It is a broad residential street of multiple family houses and low and mid rise apartment buildings. At 18th Street the avenue is once again "interrupted", this time at the grounds of the former Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
The Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel is a state and national historic place in Union City, New Jersey. Formally opened in 1869 and completed in 1875, the grounds of the complex are bounded West Street and Summit Avenue between 18th and 21st Streets. The small street leading to...
. It continues on the other side and soon thereafter passes over the Lincoln Tunnel Approach and Helix. Central Avenue ends two blocks north of the 32nd Street section of the Hackensack Plank Road
Hackensack Plank Road
The Hackensack Plank Road was a major artery which connected the cities of Hoboken and Hackensack, New Jersey Like its cousin routes, the Newark Plank Road and Paterson Plank Road, it travelled over Bergen Hill and across the Hackensack Meadows from the Hudson River waterfront to the city for...
near the Holy Family Church complex which includes the Park Theater
Park Performing Arts Center
The Park Performing Arts Center is a cultural center located at 32nd Street and Central Avenue in Union City, New Jersey, USA. Originally built by a church parish, it became a non-profit organization in 1983, and hosts appearances of local, national, and international artists as well as community...
, just west of Bergenline Avenue.