County routes in New Jersey
Encyclopedia
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, county routes exist in all 21 counties. They are typically the fourth type of roadway classified below the Interstate Highway, the U.S. Route numbered highway and the state highway. The County Route system is defined by two types in New Jersey. First, 500 Series County Routes, also called state secondary routes (to the state highway), are county highway
County highway
A county highway is a road in the United States and in the Canadian province of Ontario that is designated and/or maintained by the county highway department...
s numbered in a statewide system with three-digit numbers that begin with 5. These roads form a second network of routes that supplement the facilitation of the State Routes
State highways in New Jersey
In the U.S. state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation maintains a system of state highways. Every significant section of roadway maintained by the state is assigned a number, officially State Highway Route X but commonly called Route X by the NJDOT and the general public....
. By definition, 500 Series routes cross county borders and maintain continuity. Each 500 Series route is unique and is not permitted to be duplicated in another county for a separate route. The second category is defined as Non-500 Series County Routes. Non-500 Series County Routes include 1-digit, 2-digit, 600 Series, 700 Series and 800 Series. These, by definition, are discontinuous across county borders and must be contained entirely within that county. Unlike 500 Series County routes, these route numbers are unique to each county, and are typically assigned to more local routes than the statewide 500-series county route system. They are typically of a lesser classification of streets like minor arterials or collector roadways rather than major arterials or thoroughfares. In the counties that use 600-series numbers, the selection of this range was coordinated within the state, gradually replacing older systems of mainly one- and two-digit routes.
With very rare exceptions (such as County Route 537
County Route 537 (New Jersey)
County Route 537, abbreviated CR 537, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delaware Avenue in Camden to Myrtle Avenue in Long Branch.-Camden County:...
), the 500 series follows the rule of cardinal direction used for Interstate Highways
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
and U.S. Routes
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
: even-numbered roads run east and west, while odd-numbered roads run north and south. east–west routes tend to be numbered with the lowest numbers in the northern part of the state and the highest numbers in the southern part of the state, also like the Interstate Highways
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
and U.S. Routes
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
. In northern New Jersey, north–south routes range from CR 501
County Route 501 (New Jersey)
County Route 501 is a county highway in New Jersey in two sections spanning Middlesex, Hudson and Bergen Counties. The southern section runs from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy, the northern section runs from Bayonne to Rockleigh, and the two sections are connected by New York State Route 440...
in the east to CR 521
County Route 521 (New Jersey)
County Route 521 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends 43.71 miles from High Street in Hope Township to the New York state line in Montague Township....
in the west, although numbering in the southern part of the state tends to be more haphazard.
County route numbers have not wholly replaced the preexisting names of the local roads to which they were assigned. Street signs at major intersections will denote both the local road name and the county route number if it has one. Residents who live along county routes rarely, if ever, give their address as "123 County Route 5xx" unless no name for the route has been established, as is the case in some rural areas.
History of the 500-series
The precursor to the 500 series was a group of three roads in Bergen CountyBergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
which received the numbers 200, 201, and 203 in the late 1930s. 200 ran from Oakland
Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House...
to Alpine
Alpine, New Jersey
Alpine is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,849....
; 201 ran from Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
to Alpine; and 203 ran from Weehawken
Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
to Alpine. U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
runs through Bergen County, thus the planners skipped this number.
In February 1942, a group of civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
routes was assigned with numbers in the 500s. These roads were designed as through routes for civilian use in case the state highway system was needed by the military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
operations.
The current series of roads in the 500s was established by the New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
(NJDOT) in 1952. Some of the roads had spurs or alternate routes established; about one-third of these survive today even though such designations were eliminated from the primary state system in the 1953 New Jersey State Highway renumbering
1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
On January 1, 1953, the New Jersey Department of Transportation renumbered many of the State Routes. A few rules were followed in deciding what to renumber:...
. (The others have become 600-series county routes as described below.)
Other county routes
In some of the more populous counties, the 600-series numbers can break into the 700s and even 800s. Atlantic
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
, Camden
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
, Cumberland
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population is 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland....
, Hudson
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
, Hunterdon
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
, Gloucester
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Gloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
, and Passaic Counties
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
continue past the 600-series into routes beginning with 7, and Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
includes one route in the 800s, even though it has only three beginning with 7.
As every piece of New Jersey is part of an incorporated municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, every road not designated a county or state route is locally maintained.
See also
- State highways in New JerseyState highways in New JerseyIn the U.S. state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation maintains a system of state highways. Every significant section of roadway maintained by the state is assigned a number, officially State Highway Route X but commonly called Route X by the NJDOT and the general public....
External links
- NJDOT 500-Series Straight Line Diagrams (NJDOTNew Jersey Department of TransportationThe New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
) (Straight line diagram) - New Jersey State Route Numbers (and 500-Series CR's) (Steve Alpert)