Paterson Plank Road
Encyclopedia
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. It has largely been superseded by Route 3, but in the many towns it passes it has remained an important local thoroughfare, and in some cases renamed.
Portions of the road were at time called New Barbadoes Turnpike, from New Barbadoes Neck
, the name of the peninsula between the rivers it crossed, the Hackensack
and the Passaic
. Many plank road
s in the United States were developed in the 19th century and consisted of laying boards side-to-side to prevent coach and wagon wheels from getting bogged down in soft or swampy ground, and to reduce travel times with a uniform surface. Normally a toll was charged. This technology was applied to the Paterson Plank Road and similar roads, the Hackensack Plank Road
and the Newark Plank Road
, which also traversed the Hackensack Meadows
to the cities for which they are named. The Bergen Point Plank Road
travelled from Paulus Hook
to the Kill Van Kull
. The company which built the Paterson and New York Plank Road, as it was called, received its charter on March 14, 1851. Over time it was upgraded and at one point had streetcar lines on its entire length operated by the Public Service Railway
as the 15 Passaic, 17 Hudson, and 35 Secaucus
.
In Passaic County
, Paterson Plank Road has become part of County Route 601, traveling southeast from downtown Paterson
through the city through where it is known as Main Avenue, and becoming Main Avenue in Clifton
and Passaic
. The Clifton and Paterson sections of the road are never more than 2-3 blocks from the former railroad route Erie Railroad
Main Line, much of the extra width of the street having been converted into vehicular parking. (The current New Jersey Transit
Main Line
is now located farther west.) This route passes high density commercial centers or the downtown of the three cities. The original bridge over the Passaic River
is gone, replaced by the Gregory Avenue Bridge on a slightly different alignment.
After crossing into Bergen County
, the road is called Paterson Avenue and designated as County Route 120, through Wallington
, residential and light density commercial. The road becomes the border between Wallington to the north and East Rutherford
to the south. Shortly the end of Wallington is reached and Paterson Ave is then the border between Carlstadt
and East Rutherford for a short distance but then the road dips into East Rutherford to avoid a hill (the bypass, which goes over the hill, is called Hoboken Road).
The road returns to its path along the Carlstadt-East Rutherford border at Route 17 which it crosses over via an overpass, and is then designated as Route 120
and Paterson Plank Road for a distance. This section of the highway is in the low-lying area known as the New Jersey Meadowlands, part of the floodplain of the Hackensack River
. Originally this section consisted of planks laid side-to-side to form a makeshift road to prevent carriage wheels from getting stuck in the swamp, but it has since been reclaimed.
This part of the highway has been slated for redevelopment which is to start in November 2008; angering the owners of the auto body shops and warehouses on this stretch of the highway since they will be forced to sell their land. Several new hotels, restaurants and nightclubs have been built in anticipation of the increase in traffic from Xanadu. The road passes to the north of the Meadowlands Sports Complex
. The main road, Route 120, curves to the south to follow the eastern edge of the Sports Complex southward to NJ 3, but Paterson Plank Road continues eastward via an exit ramp. Shortly after crossing over the Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike
it reaches the Hackensack River
. The original bridge over the Hackensack River is gone. There was a proposal to possibly rebuild the bridge as part of an extension to the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail but this has been superseded by the new Meadowlands Rail Line
, which traverses the Hackensack River via the Berrys Creek
railroad bridge.
The road picks up again in Hudson County
in Secaucus
and designated County Route 681. A small riverfront park, Trolley Park is so named for the cars of the Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric Railway
that passed or terminated there. There is a bus park-and-ride in the North End
. The road travels mostly southward through the residential area until it crosses over NJ 3, and then turns southeast, forming the main street of Secaucus Plaza, the town's medium density central business district. The road crosses over Route 3 again, near another park-and-ride. It crosses over U.S. Route 1/9
(Tonnelle Ave
) in North Bergen
and turns sharply southward to parallel it and is even heading south-southwest as it climbs the west side New Jersey Palisades to Transfer Station
. It then travels southeast through Washington Park creating a border between Union City
and Jersey City Heights
.
At the edge of the cliff turning south-southwest it is joined by the Wing Viaduct and descends the eastern side of the Palisades into Hoboken
where it ends at Observer Highway.
In 2009, a study was funded for exploring the re-routing of the road near its terminus.
The last portion is one of the few roads that run along the face of the Hudson Palisades escarpment other being the Hackensack Plank Road
, the Wing Viaduct, Pershing Road
, and Bulls Ferry Road
. Two streets join this part: Holland Street and
Mountain Road, the latter making a smaller and larger hairpin turn
between Jersey City Heights
and Hoboken
. (Shippen Street
in Weehawken
makes a double hairpin
.)
New Jersey Transit bus routes 82 and 85 make use of the road.
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...
, Bergen
Bergen 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...
and Hudson Counties
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...
in northeastern 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...
originally lain in the colonial era. The route, connecting the city Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
and the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
waterfront, still exists. It has largely been superseded by Route 3, but in the many towns it passes it has remained an important local thoroughfare, and in some cases renamed.
Portions of the road were at time called New Barbadoes Turnpike, from New Barbadoes Neck
New Barbadoes Neck
New Barbadoes Neck is the name given in the colonial era for the peninsula in northeastern New Jersey, USA between the lower Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, in what is now western Hudson County and southern Bergen County...
, the name of the peninsula between the rivers it crossed, the Hackensack
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
and the Passaic
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
. Many plank road
Plank road
A plank road or puncheon is a dirt path or road covered with a series of planks, similar to the wooden sidewalks one would see in a Western movie. Plank roads were very popular in Ontario, the U.S. Northeast and U.S. Midwest in the first half of the 19th century...
s in the United States were developed in the 19th century and consisted of laying boards side-to-side to prevent coach and wagon wheels from getting bogged down in soft or swampy ground, and to reduce travel times with a uniform surface. Normally a toll was charged. This technology was applied to the Paterson Plank Road and similar roads, 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...
and the Newark Plank Road
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...
, which also traversed the Hackensack Meadows
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...
to the cities for which they are named. The Bergen Point Plank Road
Bergen Point Plank Road
The Jersey City and Bergen Point Plank Road was a road in the 19th century in Hudson County, New Jersey which ran between Paulus Hook and Bergen Point. The company which built the road received its charter on March 6, 1850. It has subsequently become Grand Street and Garfield Avenue in Jersey City...
travelled from Paulus Hook
Paulus Hook, Jersey City
Paulus Hook is a community on the Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City, New Jersey, located one mile across the river from Manhattan. The name Hook comes from the Dutch word "hoeck" which translates into "point of land." This "point of land" has been described as an elevated area, the location...
to the Kill Van Kull
Kill Van Kull
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. Approximately long and wide, it connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the eastern end of the Kill, Bergen Point its western end...
. The company which built the Paterson and New York Plank Road, as it was called, received its charter on March 14, 1851. Over time it was upgraded and at one point had streetcar lines on its entire length operated by the Public Service Railway
Public Service Railway
The Public Service Railway, owned by the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, operated most of the streetcar lines in New Jersey by the early 20th century. Public Service lines stretched from northeast New Jersey to Trenton, and then south to Camden and its suburbs...
as the 15 Passaic, 17 Hudson, and 35 Secaucus
82 Hudson
The 82 Hudson is a bus route operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Buses run from Exchange Place in Jersey City along Montgomery Street, Marin Boulevard, Newark Avenue, and Summit Avenue to Paterson Plank Road at Transfer Station in Union City.-History:The 82 operates...
.
Passaic County
In Passaic County
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...
, Paterson Plank Road has become part of County Route 601, traveling southeast from downtown Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
through the city through where it is known as Main Avenue, and becoming Main Avenue in Clifton
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...
and Passaic
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
. The Clifton and Paterson sections of the road are never more than 2-3 blocks from the former railroad route Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
Main Line, much of the extra width of the street having been converted into vehicular parking. (The current New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit rail operations
New Jersey Transit Rail Operations is the rail division of New Jersey Transit. It provides regional rail service in New Jersey, with most service centered around transportation to and from New York City, Hoboken, and Newark...
Main Line
Main Line (NJ Transit)
The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by New Jersey Transit running from Suffern, New York to Hoboken, New Jersey. It runs daily commuter service and was once the north-south main line of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad...
is now located farther west.) This route passes high density commercial centers or the downtown of the three cities. The original bridge over the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
is gone, replaced by the Gregory Avenue Bridge on a slightly different alignment.
Bergen County
After crossing into Bergen County
Bergen 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...
, the road is called Paterson Avenue and designated as County Route 120, through Wallington
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
, residential and light density commercial. The road becomes the border between Wallington to the north and East Rutherford
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
to the south. Shortly the end of Wallington is reached and Paterson Ave is then the border between Carlstadt
Carlstadt, New Jersey
Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,127.Carlstadt was originally formed as a village by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1860, within Lodi Township. It was named after Dr...
and East Rutherford for a short distance but then the road dips into East Rutherford to avoid a hill (the bypass, which goes over the hill, is called Hoboken Road).
The road returns to its path along the Carlstadt-East Rutherford border at Route 17 which it crosses over via an overpass, and is then designated as Route 120
New Jersey Route 120
Route 120 is a state highway located in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It extends from an interchange with Route 3 in East Rutherford to another interchange with Route 17 in Carlstadt, where it continues to the west as County Route 120. NJ 120 serves the Meadowlands Sports Complex,...
and Paterson Plank Road for a distance. This section of the highway is in the low-lying area known as the New Jersey Meadowlands, part of the floodplain of the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. Originally this section consisted of planks laid side-to-side to form a makeshift road to prevent carriage wheels from getting stuck in the swamp, but it has since been reclaimed.
This part of the highway has been slated for redevelopment which is to start in November 2008; angering the owners of the auto body shops and warehouses on this stretch of the highway since they will be forced to sell their land. Several new hotels, restaurants and nightclubs have been built in anticipation of the increase in traffic from Xanadu. The road passes to the north of the Meadowlands Sports Complex
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
. The main road, Route 120, curves to the south to follow the eastern edge of the Sports Complex southward to NJ 3, but Paterson Plank Road continues eastward via an exit ramp. Shortly after crossing over the Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
it reaches the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. The original bridge over the Hackensack River is gone. There was a proposal to possibly rebuild the bridge as part of an extension to the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail but this has been superseded by the new Meadowlands Rail Line
Meadowlands Rail Line
Meadowlands Rail Line is a rail line in New Jersey, United States, operated by New Jersey Transit . Trains run between the MetLife Sports Complex and Secaucus Junction, some with continuing service to Hoboken Terminal...
, which traverses the Hackensack River via the Berrys Creek
Berrys Creek
Berrys Creek is a tributary of the Hackensack River in the New Jersey Meadowlands in Bergen County, New Jersey.-Geography:...
railroad bridge.
Hudson County
The road picks up again in Hudson County
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...
in Secaucus
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
and designated County Route 681. A small riverfront park, Trolley Park is so named for the cars of the Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric Railway
Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric Railway
The Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric Railway was incorporated 1893, and leased from 1894-1899 to New Jersey Electric Railway Company The line was operated by Jersey City, Hoboken and Paterson Street Railway. The track length was 18.57 miles....
that passed or terminated there. There is a bus park-and-ride in the North End
North End, Secaucus
As its name suggests, the North End in Secaucus, New Jersey, is the section of town north of New Jersey Route 3 and the Secaucus Plaza Central Business District, to which it is connected by Paterson Plank Road...
. The road travels mostly southward through the residential area until it crosses over NJ 3, and then turns southeast, forming the main street of Secaucus Plaza, the town's medium density central business district. The road crosses over Route 3 again, near another park-and-ride. It crosses over U.S. Route 1/9
U.S. Route 1/9
U.S. Route 9 is a U.S. highway in the northeast United States, running from Laurel, Delaware north to the Canadian border near Champlain, New York...
(Tonnelle Ave
U.S. Route 1/9
U.S. Route 9 is a U.S. highway in the northeast United States, running from Laurel, Delaware north to the Canadian border near Champlain, New York...
) in North Bergen
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
and turns sharply southward to parallel it and is even heading south-southwest as it climbs the west side New Jersey Palisades to Transfer Station
Transfer Station (Hudson County)
Transfer Station is the name of a section of Hudson County, New Jersey, which radiates from the intersection where Paterson Plank Road crosses Summit Avenue at 7th Street, and where the borders of Jersey City Heights, North Bergen, and Union City meet at one point, which is a few blocks to the...
. It then travels southeast through Washington Park creating a border between 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...
and Jersey City Heights
The Heights, Jersey City
The Heights or Jersey City Heights is a district in the north end of Jersey City, New Jersey atop the New Jersey Palisades overlooking Hoboken to the east and Croxton in the Meadowlands to the west....
.
At the edge of the cliff turning south-southwest it is joined by the Wing Viaduct and descends the eastern side of the Palisades into Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
where it ends at Observer Highway.
In 2009, a study was funded for exploring the re-routing of the road near its terminus.
The last portion is one of the few roads that run along the face of the Hudson Palisades escarpment other being 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...
, the Wing Viaduct, Pershing Road
Pershing Road (Hudson County)
Pershing Road travels for on the Hudson Palisades in Weehawken, New Jersey between Boulevard East and Weehawken Port Imperial and carries the designation Hudson County Route 682....
, and Bulls Ferry Road
Bulls Ferry
Bulls Ferry is the area along the Hudson River in the North HudsonCounty, New Jersey municipalities of West New York, Guttenberg, and North Bergen....
. Two streets join this part: Holland Street and
Mountain Road, the latter making a smaller and larger hairpin turnHairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
between Jersey City Heights
The Heights, Jersey City
The Heights or Jersey City Heights is a district in the north end of Jersey City, New Jersey atop the New Jersey Palisades overlooking Hoboken to the east and Croxton in the Meadowlands to the west....
and Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. (Shippen Street
Shippen Street (Weehawken)
Shippen Street is an east-west street in Weehawken, New Jersey. The eastern terminal, a cobblestone double hairpin turn is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places...
in 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...
makes a double hairpin
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
.)
New Jersey Transit bus routes 82 and 85 make use of the road.
See also
- List of turnpikes in New Jersey
- Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric RailwayJersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric RailwayThe Jersey City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric Railway was incorporated 1893, and leased from 1894-1899 to New Jersey Electric Railway Company The line was operated by Jersey City, Hoboken and Paterson Street Railway. The track length was 18.57 miles....
- List of crossings of the Hackensack River