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Route 42 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 42 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of New Jersey
, in the Camden
area. It runs 14.28 mi (22.98 km) from an intersection with U.S. Route 322
and County Route 536 Spur in Monroe Township
, Gloucester County
to an intersection with Interstate 76
and Interstate 295
in Bellmawr
, Camden County
. The route is a mix of freeway and divided
four-lane arterial road
. The southern portion of Route 42 is a local arterial route and one of several highways comprising the Black Horse Pike
, a road that runs from Camden to Atlantic City
. The northern portion is a six- to eight-lane freeway referred to locally as the North–South Freeway (or simply the 42 Freeway) that is directly connected to the Atlantic City Expressway
. Major intersections along the route include the Atlantic City Expressway and the southern terminus of Route 168 in Turnersville
, another intersection with Route 168 in Blackwood
, and Route 41 and Route 55 in Deptford Township
.
Route 42 was originally designated in 1927 to run along the Black Horse Pike between Ferry Avenue in Camden and the present U.S. Route 40
/U.S. Route 322
split in the McKee City
section of Hamilton Township
, Atlantic County
. In 1953, the southern terminus was cut back to its current terminus in the Williamstown
section of Monroe Township to avoid the concurrency it shared with U.S. Route 322. After the completion of the North–South Freeway between Bellmawr and Turnersville in 1959, Route 42 was moved to this freeway, and the Black Horse Pike north of Turnersville became Route 168. The freeway portion of Route 42 has been improved many times and is projected to see more improvements, including reconstruction of the dangerous and congested interchange with Interstate 76 and Interstate 295 in Bellmawr.
and County Route 536 Spur in Monroe Township
, Gloucester County
where it heads to the north on the Black Horse Pike. For the first portion of the route, Route 42 is a divided four–lane arterial highway that intersects various local roads. Some intersections along this section feature jughandle
s. There are also many businesses lining the highway. The route crosses County Route 689 (Berlin-Cross Keys Road) and enters Washington Township
. It then intersects the northern terminus of County Route 555
(Tuckahoe Road). After the intersection with County Route 555, Route 42 intersects three more county routes: County Route 655 (Fries Mill Road), County Route 639 (Ganttown Road), and County Route 651 (Greentree Road). The Atlantic City Expressway
then starts to the right at an unnumbered intersection, Route 168 continues to the north on the Black Horse Pike, and Route 42 becomes the six–lane North–South Freeway.
, Camden County
and comes to the first numbered exit for County Route 705
, which provides access to Route 168. Following that, the freeway reaches the County Route 673 (College Drive) interchange, serving Camden County College
. County Route 534
interchanges with a southbound exit and northbound entrance and then Coles Road interchanges with a northbound exit and southbound entrance. Next, Route 42 encounters Exits 9B and 10A for Route 168. Exit 9B serves northbound Route 168 and provides access to the New Jersey Turnpike
, and Exit 10A serves southbound Route 168. County Route 681 interchanges after Route 168, with a southbound exit and northbound entrance, and Route 42 enters Gloucester County again in Deptford Township
after crossing the South Branch of Big Timber Creek
.
In Deptford Township, Route 41 interchanges with a northbound exit and an entrance in both directions. Past this interchange, County Route 544
interchanges with a southbound exit and an entrance in both directions. Both of these interchanges provide access to the Deptford Mall
and, in the case of the Route 41 interchange, to Route 55 from northbound Route 42 since the northbound lanes have no direct access to Route 55. Route 42 meets the northern terminus of the Route 55 freeway at Exit 13 with a southbound exit and northbound entrance then widens to eight lanes. Route 42 crosses the Big Timber Creek into Runnemede
, Camden County, where it passes over the New Jersey Turnpike without an interchange. The freeway then enters Bellmawr
, where it features right-in/right-out
ramps with Leaf Avenue, that provide access to County Route 753 (Creek Road). Route 42 then continues north to its terminus at Interstate 295
where the North–South Freeway becomes Interstate 76
, which heads to Camden
and Philadelphia .
The North–South Freeway portion of Route 42 is a major route for daily commuters from southern New Jersey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
via the Walt Whitman Bridge
and Ben Franklin Bridge and weekend commuters from southeastern Pennsylvania
to the southern Jersey Shore
via Route 55 and the Atlantic City Expressway
. Route 42 sees frequent congestion on a daily basis, from the end of the Atlantic City Expressway to the I-76/I-295 interchange. Even though Route 42 ends at I-295, the north–south Freeway is sometimes called "Route 42" all the way to the Interstate 76/Interstate 676
split.
Snow removal
, litter control, and landscaping
of Route 42 between the end of the Atlantic City Expressway and Interstate 295 is performed by the South Jersey Transportation Authority
.
, a road that traces its origins back to 1855. In that year, the Camden and Blackwoodstown Turnpike Company was established by entrepreneurs who had helped create the White Horse Pike to build a gravel road that would run from Camden
south to Blackwoodtown
and eventually to Atlantic City
, from Ferry Avenue in Camden to Route 48 (now U.S. Route 40
) in McKee City
. By 1941, U.S. Route 322
was assigned to follow the routing of Route 42 between Williamstown
and McKee City. With the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
, which eliminated long concurrencies between U.S. Routes and State Routes, the southern terminus of Route 42 was cut back to Williamstown to avoid the concurrency with U.S. Route 322.
The North–South Freeway portion of Route 42 was originally planned as a parkway
in 1932 that would run from the Ben Franklin Bridge in Camden to Atlantic City; however, this proposal never materialized. In the late 1940s, the North–South Freeway was proposed by the New Jersey State Highway Department to run from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Turnersville
. In the early 1950s, right-of-way for the freeway was acquired and actual construction of the freeway followed. The Route 42 freeway opened between Interstate 295
in Bellmawr
and the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood
in 1958. It opened between the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood and Turnersville in 1959. With the completion of the North–South Freeway portion of Route 42, the Black Horse Pike north of Turnersville became Route 168.
Following its completion, the North–South Freeway portion of Route 42 has seen many improvements. In 1965, the freeway was widened to six lanes for most of its length with the northernmost part being widened to eight lanes due to the completion of the Atlantic City Expressway
and development occurring along the route. The route had its interchange with Route 55 open in 1985, when the Route 55 Freeway was opened from Route 42 to Route 41 to the south. Between 1996 and August 1999, the route was widened to eight lanes between Interstate 295 and Route 55 in Deptford Township
. In the early 2000s, the interchanges with Route 41 and County Route 544
in Deptford were rebuilt at a cost of $13 million to improve movements within the area. In October 2003, the New Jersey Department of Transportation
(NJDOT) installed exit tabs along the stretch of the freeway portion of Route 42. On August 27, 2010, an interchange opened at County Route 673 (College Drive), providing better access to Camden County College.
northbound and Route 42 southbound and Route 42 northbound to Interstate 295 southbound. They will also reconstruct the dangerous and congested Route 42/Interstate 295/Interstate 76
interchange, which currently requires traffic on I-295 to use 35 mile per hour ramps that merge onto the North–South Freeway for a short distance. In 2007, "Alternative D" for the reconstructed interchange was selected, calling for I-295 to cross over the north–south Freeway. This interchange, which will resemble two Directional-T interchanges, is projected to cost $450 million with construction taking place between 2011 and 2015. NJDOT has long term plans for 2011–2020 to reconstruct the entire Route 42 freeway from the Atlantic City Expressway
to I-295.
On May 12, 2009, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and the Delaware River Port Authority
, the agency which manages the PATCO Speedline, announced plans to introduce express bus service along the Route 42 freeway and the adjacent Route 55 freeway as part of a comprehensive transportation plan for South Jersey that would include a diesel light rail line between Camden and Glassboro, improvements to the Atlantic City Line
, and enhanced connections to the Atlantic City International Airport
.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|Gloucester
|Monroe Township
|0.00
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Washington Township
|3.51
|
|
|
|-
|colspan=6 align="center"|South end of freeway
|-
|6.35
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=8|Camden
|rowspan=8|Gloucester Township
|rowspan=2|6.62
|rowspan=2|7
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|7.48
|7B
|
|Opened August 27, 2010
|-
|8.81
|8
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|9.48
|9A
|Coles Road – Blenheim
, Almonesson
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2|10.00
|9B
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|10A
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|11.02
|10B
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=3|Gloucester
|rowspan=3|Deptford Township
|11.54
|12
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|11.95
|12
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|12.54
|13
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2|Camden
|rowspan=2|Bellmawr
|13.97
|14
|
|
|-
|14.28
|
|, Philadelphia
, Trenton
, Camden
|Road continues as I-76
|-
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
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...
, in the Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
area. It runs 14.28 mi (22.98 km) from an intersection with U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
and County Route 536 Spur in Monroe Township
Monroe Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Monroe Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 28,967....
, Gloucester County
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....
to an intersection with Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
and Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Delaware-New Jersey)
Interstate 295 in New Jersey and Delaware is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, designated as a bypass around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The route begins at a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington, Delaware, and runs to another junction with I-95 north of Trenton, New Jersey...
in Bellmawr
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
, Camden County
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...
. The route is a mix of freeway and divided
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
four-lane arterial road
Arterial road
An arterial road, or arterial thoroughfare, is a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways, and between urban centres at the highest level of service possible. As such, many arteries are limited-access roads, or feature...
. The southern portion of Route 42 is a local arterial route and one of several highways comprising the Black Horse Pike
Black Horse Pike
The Black Horse Pike is a designation used for a number of different roadways that had been part of a historic route connecting the Camden area to the area of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roadways now bearing the Black Horse Pike designation include portions of New Jersey Route 168, New Jersey Route...
, a road that runs from Camden to Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. The northern portion is a six- to eight-lane freeway referred to locally as the North–South Freeway (or simply the 42 Freeway) that is directly connected to the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
. Major intersections along the route include the Atlantic City Expressway and the southern terminus of Route 168 in Turnersville
Turnersville, New Jersey
Turnersville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Washington Township, in Gloucester County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,867. It is named after the Turner family, one of the original families of Washington Township...
, another intersection with Route 168 in Blackwood
Blackwood, New Jersey
Blackwood is a census-designated place located within Gloucester Township, in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 United States Census, the section population was 4,692...
, and Route 41 and Route 55 in Deptford Township
Deptford Township, New Jersey
Deptford Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 30,561....
.
Route 42 was originally designated in 1927 to run along the Black Horse Pike between Ferry Avenue in Camden and the present U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 40 is a U.S. highway running from Park City, Utah east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route runs through the southern part of New Jersey between the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where it continues...
/U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
split in the McKee City
McKee City, New Jersey
McKee City is an unincorporated community within the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. The community was named after Colonel John McKee , a Civil War veteran...
section of Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 26,503...
, Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
. In 1953, the southern terminus was cut back to its current terminus in the Williamstown
Williamstown, New Jersey
Williamstown, home of brandon ciarlante, is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Monroe Township, in Gloucester County, New Jersey...
section of Monroe Township to avoid the concurrency it shared with U.S. Route 322. After the completion of the North–South Freeway between Bellmawr and Turnersville in 1959, Route 42 was moved to this freeway, and the Black Horse Pike north of Turnersville became Route 168. The freeway portion of Route 42 has been improved many times and is projected to see more improvements, including reconstruction of the dangerous and congested interchange with Interstate 76 and Interstate 295 in Bellmawr.
Route description
Black Horse Pike
Route 42 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 322U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
and County Route 536 Spur in Monroe Township
Monroe Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Monroe Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 28,967....
, Gloucester County
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....
where it heads to the north on the Black Horse Pike. For the first portion of the route, Route 42 is a divided four–lane arterial highway that intersects various local roads. Some intersections along this section feature jughandle
Jughandle
A jughandle is a type of ramp or slip road that changes the way traffic turns left at at-grade intersections. Instead of a standard left turn being made from the left lane, left-turning traffic uses a ramp on the right side of the road...
s. There are also many businesses lining the highway. The route crosses County Route 689 (Berlin-Cross Keys Road) and enters Washington Township
Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Washington Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. In the 2010 United States Census, Washington Township's population was 48,559, having grown from 47,114 in the 2000 Census....
. It then intersects the northern terminus of County Route 555
County Route 555 (New Jersey)
County Route 555, abbreviated CR 555, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Port Norris Road in Downe Township to Black Horse Pike in Washington Township ....
(Tuckahoe Road). After the intersection with County Route 555, Route 42 intersects three more county routes: County Route 655 (Fries Mill Road), County Route 639 (Ganttown Road), and County Route 651 (Greentree Road). The Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
then starts to the right at an unnumbered intersection, Route 168 continues to the north on the Black Horse Pike, and Route 42 becomes the six–lane North–South Freeway.
North–South Freeway
Upon becoming the North–South Freeway, Route 42 crosses into Gloucester TownshipGloucester Township, New Jersey
Gloucester Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 64,634...
, Camden County
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...
and comes to the first numbered exit for County Route 705
County Route 705 (Camden County, New Jersey)
County Route 705, abbreviated CR 705, is a county highway in Camden County, New Jersey, known as Sicklerville Road. It runs for 7.67 miles in the townships of Winslow and Gloucester. There are major intersections with Camden CR 704 and Camden CR 689...
, which provides access to Route 168. Following that, the freeway reaches the County Route 673 (College Drive) interchange, serving Camden County College
Camden County College
Camden County College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Camden County, New Jersey. Camden County College has three distinct campuses located in Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill...
. County Route 534
County Route 534 (New Jersey)
County Route 534, abbreviated CR 534, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Route 47 in Deptford Township to Medford-Indian Mills Road in Shamong Township.-Gloucester County:...
interchanges with a southbound exit and northbound entrance and then Coles Road interchanges with a northbound exit and southbound entrance. Next, Route 42 encounters Exits 9B and 10A for Route 168. Exit 9B serves northbound Route 168 and provides access to 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...
, and Exit 10A serves southbound Route 168. County Route 681 interchanges after Route 168, with a southbound exit and northbound entrance, and Route 42 enters Gloucester County again in Deptford Township
Deptford Township, New Jersey
Deptford Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 30,561....
after crossing the South Branch of Big Timber Creek
Big Timber Creek
Big Timber Creek is a stream in southwestern New Jersey, United States, and is also known by the name 'Tetamekanchz Kyl' by the Lenape tribes. It drains a watershed of . A tributary of the Delaware River, it enters the Delaware between the boroughs of Brooklawn and Westville, just south Gloucester...
.
In Deptford Township, Route 41 interchanges with a northbound exit and an entrance in both directions. Past this interchange, County Route 544
County Route 544 (New Jersey)
County Route 544, abbreviated CR 544, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Cooper Street in Deptford Township to Taunton Boulevard in Medford Township.-Gloucester County:...
interchanges with a southbound exit and an entrance in both directions. Both of these interchanges provide access to the Deptford Mall
Deptford Mall
The Deptford Mall is a major shopping destination in Deptford Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. It is the seventh largest mall in the state of New Jersey and the largest in the state's South Jersey region. Owned and managed by The Macerich Company, it is the county's only...
and, in the case of the Route 41 interchange, to Route 55 from northbound Route 42 since the northbound lanes have no direct access to Route 55. Route 42 meets the northern terminus of the Route 55 freeway at Exit 13 with a southbound exit and northbound entrance then widens to eight lanes. Route 42 crosses the Big Timber Creek into Runnemede
Runnemede, New Jersey
Runnemede is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population is 8,533.Runnemede was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1926, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, based on the...
, Camden County, where it passes over the New Jersey Turnpike without an interchange. The freeway then enters Bellmawr
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
, where it features right-in/right-out
Right-in/right-out
Right-in/right-out and left-in/left-out refer to a type of road intersection where turning movements of vehicles are restricted. A RIRO permits only right turns and a LILO permits only left turns. RIRO is usual where vehicles drive on the right, and LILO is usual where vehicles drive on the left...
ramps with Leaf Avenue, that provide access to County Route 753 (Creek Road). Route 42 then continues north to its terminus at Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Delaware-New Jersey)
Interstate 295 in New Jersey and Delaware is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, designated as a bypass around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The route begins at a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington, Delaware, and runs to another junction with I-95 north of Trenton, New Jersey...
where the North–South Freeway becomes Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
, which heads to Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and Philadelphia .
The North–South Freeway portion of Route 42 is a major route for daily commuters from southern New Jersey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
via the Walt Whitman Bridge
Walt Whitman Bridge
The Walt Whitman Bridge is a green-colored single-level suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Gloucester City, New Jersey. Named after the poet Walt Whitman, who resided in nearby Camden toward the end of his life, the Walt Whitman Bridge is one of the larger bridges...
and Ben Franklin Bridge and weekend commuters from southeastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to the southern Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
via Route 55 and the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
. Route 42 sees frequent congestion on a daily basis, from the end of the Atlantic City Expressway to the I-76/I-295 interchange. Even though Route 42 ends at I-295, the north–south Freeway is sometimes called "Route 42" all the way to the Interstate 76/Interstate 676
Interstate 676
Interstate 676 is an Interstate Highway that serves as a major thoroughfare through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it is known as the Vine Street Expressway, and Camden, New Jersey, where it is known as the northern segment of the North–South Freeway, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr....
split.
Snow removal
Snow removal
Snow removal is the job of removing snow after a snowfall to make travel easier and safer. This is done by both individual households and by governments and institutions.-De-icing and anti-icing:...
, litter control, and landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
of Route 42 between the end of the Atlantic City Expressway and Interstate 295 is performed by the South Jersey Transportation Authority
South Jersey Transportation Authority
The South Jersey Transportation Authority is a quasi-private agency created by the New Jersey Legislature in 1991 to manage transportation-related services in the six South Jersey counties: Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem....
.
History
In 1927, Route 42 was legislated to run along the Black Horse PikeBlack Horse Pike
The Black Horse Pike is a designation used for a number of different roadways that had been part of a historic route connecting the Camden area to the area of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roadways now bearing the Black Horse Pike designation include portions of New Jersey Route 168, New Jersey Route...
, a road that traces its origins back to 1855. In that year, the Camden and Blackwoodstown Turnpike Company was established by entrepreneurs who had helped create the White Horse Pike to build a gravel road that would run from Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
south to Blackwoodtown
Blackwood, New Jersey
Blackwood is a census-designated place located within Gloucester Township, in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 United States Census, the section population was 4,692...
and eventually to Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, from Ferry Avenue in Camden to Route 48 (now U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 40 is a U.S. highway running from Park City, Utah east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route runs through the southern part of New Jersey between the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where it continues...
) in McKee City
McKee City, New Jersey
McKee City is an unincorporated community within the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. The community was named after Colonel John McKee , a Civil War veteran...
. By 1941, U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
was assigned to follow the routing of Route 42 between Williamstown
Williamstown, New Jersey
Williamstown, home of brandon ciarlante, is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Monroe Township, in Gloucester County, New Jersey...
and McKee City. With 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:...
, which eliminated long concurrencies between U.S. Routes and State Routes, the southern terminus of Route 42 was cut back to Williamstown to avoid the concurrency with U.S. Route 322.
Parkway
The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...
in 1932 that would run from the Ben Franklin Bridge in Camden to Atlantic City; however, this proposal never materialized. In the late 1940s, the North–South Freeway was proposed by the New Jersey State Highway Department to run from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Turnersville
Turnersville, New Jersey
Turnersville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Washington Township, in Gloucester County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,867. It is named after the Turner family, one of the original families of Washington Township...
. In the early 1950s, right-of-way for the freeway was acquired and actual construction of the freeway followed. The Route 42 freeway opened between Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Delaware-New Jersey)
Interstate 295 in New Jersey and Delaware is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, designated as a bypass around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The route begins at a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington, Delaware, and runs to another junction with I-95 north of Trenton, New Jersey...
in Bellmawr
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
and the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood
Blackwood, New Jersey
Blackwood is a census-designated place located within Gloucester Township, in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 United States Census, the section population was 4,692...
in 1958. It opened between the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood and Turnersville in 1959. With the completion of the North–South Freeway portion of Route 42, the Black Horse Pike north of Turnersville became Route 168.
Following its completion, the North–South Freeway portion of Route 42 has seen many improvements. In 1965, the freeway was widened to six lanes for most of its length with the northernmost part being widened to eight lanes due to the completion of the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
and development occurring along the route. The route had its interchange with Route 55 open in 1985, when the Route 55 Freeway was opened from Route 42 to Route 41 to the south. Between 1996 and August 1999, the route was widened to eight lanes between Interstate 295 and Route 55 in Deptford Township
Deptford Township, New Jersey
Deptford Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 30,561....
. In the early 2000s, the interchanges with Route 41 and County Route 544
County Route 544 (New Jersey)
County Route 544, abbreviated CR 544, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Cooper Street in Deptford Township to Taunton Boulevard in Medford Township.-Gloucester County:...
in Deptford were rebuilt at a cost of $13 million to improve movements within the area. In October 2003, 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) installed exit tabs along the stretch of the freeway portion of Route 42. On August 27, 2010, an interchange opened at County Route 673 (College Drive), providing better access to Camden County College.
Future
NJDOT is going to build the missing movements between Interstate 295Interstate 295 (Delaware-New Jersey)
Interstate 295 in New Jersey and Delaware is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, designated as a bypass around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The route begins at a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington, Delaware, and runs to another junction with I-95 north of Trenton, New Jersey...
northbound and Route 42 southbound and Route 42 northbound to Interstate 295 southbound. They will also reconstruct the dangerous and congested Route 42/Interstate 295/Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
interchange, which currently requires traffic on I-295 to use 35 mile per hour ramps that merge onto the North–South Freeway for a short distance. In 2007, "Alternative D" for the reconstructed interchange was selected, calling for I-295 to cross over the north–south Freeway. This interchange, which will resemble two Directional-T interchanges, is projected to cost $450 million with construction taking place between 2011 and 2015. NJDOT has long term plans for 2011–2020 to reconstruct the entire Route 42 freeway from the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
to I-295.
On May 12, 2009, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
, the agency which manages the PATCO Speedline, announced plans to introduce express bus service along the Route 42 freeway and the adjacent Route 55 freeway as part of a comprehensive transportation plan for South Jersey that would include a diesel light rail line between Camden and Glassboro, improvements to the Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
, and enhanced connections to the Atlantic City International Airport
Atlantic City International Airport
Atlantic City International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located nine nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Atlantic City, in Atlantic County, New Jersey...
.
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|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....
|Monroe Township
Monroe Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Monroe Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 28,967....
|0.00
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Washington Township
Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Washington Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. In the 2010 United States Census, Washington Township's population was 48,559, having grown from 47,114 in the 2000 Census....
|3.51
|
|
|
|-
|colspan=6 align="center"|South end of freeway
|-
|6.35
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=8|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...
|rowspan=8|Gloucester Township
Gloucester Township, New Jersey
Gloucester Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 64,634...
|rowspan=2|6.62
|rowspan=2|7
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|7.48
|7B
|
|Opened August 27, 2010
|-
|8.81
|8
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|9.48
|9A
|Coles Road – Blenheim
Blenheim, New Jersey
Blenheim is an unincorporated community within Gloucester Township, Camden County, New Jersey. Blenheim contributed to the township's early growth, as well as nearby Erial and Sicklerville....
, Almonesson
Almonesson, New Jersey
Almonesson is an unincorporated community within Deptford Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Route 41, Route 42, Route 55, CR 534, and CR 544 are major roads in and around Almonesson. The Deptford Mall is located just north of the center of Almonesson. Exit 12 on Route 42 and Exit 58 on Route...
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2|10.00
|9B
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|10A
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|11.02
|10B
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=3|Gloucester
|rowspan=3|Deptford Township
Deptford Township, New Jersey
Deptford Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 30,561....
|11.54
|12
|
|Northbound exit and entrance
|-
|11.95
|12
|
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|12.54
|13
|
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2|Camden
|rowspan=2|Bellmawr
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
|13.97
|14
|
|
|-
|14.28
|
|, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
|Road continues as I-76
|-