New Jersey Route 163
Encyclopedia
Route 163 is a short 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) long state highway in the county of Warren
in New Jersey
. The route, which is currently a stub, used to be the approach to the destroyed Delaware Bridge
, which was a road bridge over the Delaware River
, connecting the settlement of Delaware, New Jersey
with Portland, Pennsylvania
. Until 1953, the bridge carried U.S. Route 46
over the river. The bridge has been destroyed, but the approaches are still state-maintained. A still-existing bridge carries an abandoned ex-Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
line across the river just north of the former road crossing. The unsigned Route 163 runs from US 46 north to a dead end on the east side of US 46, all in Knowlton Township, New Jersey
. From the dead end, the bridge approach continued northwest and west over US 46 to the bridge.
New Jersey Route 163 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 46 and Roy Ace Road in the community of Delaware. The highway heads to the north along Lackawanna Road. Route 163 passes several residences to the north and a short stretch of homes to the south. There is a short intersection with an unnamed local road. After that intersection, Route 163 passes a truck stop that is visible on both Route 46, which parallels to the south, and the short state highway. There is another short truck stop before an intersection with a return ramp to Route 46. Route 163 officially terminates at a barricaded dead-end near Hemlock Hill Road.
(co-signed with New Jersey State Highway Route 6). The alignment of 6 and 46 went along the alignment of the original State Highway Route 5 from the early 1920s, stretching from Newark
to the bridge over the Delaware River at Delaware. The route was decommissioned when the 1927 renumbering
occurred. After that renumbering, the route became State Highway Route 6, a co-designation to U.S. Route 46, which had been assigned the prior year. The two highway designations remained intact until the 1953 renumbering
, when Route 6 was decommissioned in favor of using the U.S. 46 designation. U.S. Route 46 was realigned once again when the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge
opened in 1953, when the alignment of the highway was changed to head along former State Highway Route 8 (mostly New Jersey Route 94), where it ended at U.S. Route 611 and NJ 94, where its current terminus is located. After the realigning of the Delaware Bridge alignment, the route was renumbered to New Jersey Route 163. Two years later, the Delaware Bridge was swept away in floods caused by Hurricane Connie
and Diane
in 1955, which took out several other bridges over the Delaware.
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
in 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...
. The route, which is currently a stub, used to be the approach to the destroyed Delaware Bridge
Delaware Bridge
The Darlington's Bridge at Delaware Station was a highway bridge over the Delaware River in the community of Delaware, New Jersey . Formerly a railroad bridge constructed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1855, the bridge was sold off when the new one upstream was constructed....
, which was a road bridge over the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, connecting the settlement of Delaware, New Jersey
Delaware, Warren County, New Jersey
Delaware is a census-designated place within Knowlton Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07833....
with Portland, Pennsylvania
Portland, Pennsylvania
Portland is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Portland is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt.The population of Portland was 579 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. Until 1953, the bridge carried U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
over the river. The bridge has been destroyed, but the approaches are still state-maintained. A still-existing bridge carries an abandoned ex-Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
line across the river just north of the former road crossing. The unsigned Route 163 runs from US 46 north to a dead end on the east side of US 46, all in Knowlton Township, New Jersey
Knowlton Township, New Jersey
- Local government :The Knowlton Township Committee consists of Mayor Frank Van Horn , Deputy Mayor Ronald Farber , Theresa Capriccio , René Mathez and Scott Odorizzi ....
. From the dead end, the bridge approach continued northwest and west over US 46 to the bridge.
Route description
History
New Jersey Route 163 originated as an alignment of U.S. Route 46U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
(co-signed with New Jersey State Highway Route 6). The alignment of 6 and 46 went along the alignment of the original State Highway Route 5 from the early 1920s, stretching from Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
to the bridge over the Delaware River at Delaware. The route was decommissioned when the 1927 renumbering
1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering
In 1927, New Jersey's state highways were renumbered. The old system, which had been defined in sequence by the legislature, was growing badly, as several routes shared the same number, and many unnumbered state highways had been defined...
occurred. After that renumbering, the route became State Highway Route 6, a co-designation to U.S. Route 46, which had been assigned the prior year. The two highway designations remained intact until the 1953 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:...
, when Route 6 was decommissioned in favor of using the U.S. 46 designation. U.S. Route 46 was realigned once again when the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge
Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge
The Portland–Columbia Toll Bridge is a toll bridge that carries New Jersey Route 94 over the Delaware River, between Pennsylvania Route 611 at Portland, Pennsylvania and Columbia in Knowlton Township, New Jersey. It is owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. U.S....
opened in 1953, when the alignment of the highway was changed to head along former State Highway Route 8 (mostly New Jersey Route 94), where it ended at U.S. Route 611 and NJ 94, where its current terminus is located. After the realigning of the Delaware Bridge alignment, the route was renumbered to New Jersey Route 163. Two years later, the Delaware Bridge was swept away in floods caused by Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 1, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh....
and Diane
Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
in 1955, which took out several other bridges over the Delaware.