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U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey

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U.S. Route 40 marker
U.S. Route 40
Harding Highway
Black Horse Pike
Route information
Maintained by NJDOT and Atlantic County
Length64.28 mi[1] (103.45 km)
Major junctions
Major intersections US 130/NJ 49 in Pennsville Twp
NJTP in Carneys Point Twp
NJ 55 in Franklin Twp
US 322 in Hamilton Twp
GSP in Egg Harbor Twp
US 9 in Pleasantville
ACE in Atlantic City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
Highway system
← Route 39→ Route 41

U.S. Route 40 serves as a major east-west highway in southern New Jersey from Delaware and points south to the Jersey Shore. It runs from the Delaware border on the Delaware Memorial Bridge through three counties, Salem, Gloucester, and Atlantic, and ending concurrent with US 322 in Atlantic City. Along its trip through these counties, some of the small towns that depend on the traffic US 40 brings are Woodstown, Elmer, Newfield, and Buena. An eclectic mix of rural, suburban, and urban environs are experienced on this relatively-short lifeline across South Jersey.

US 40 also remains the preferred route to Atlantic City from Delaware, Maryland, and points south and west, due to the non-existence of other viable alternatives (the Atlantic City Expressway starts about 25 miles (40 km) north of where US 40 enters New Jersey). This fact, along with the relatively rural lifestyle enjoyed by the people who live along this artery, has made for sticky situations in the summer, the peak of tourist season at the Jersey Shore.

Route description

Salem County

US 40 enters New Jersey along with I-295 from Delaware on the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River. The road heads southeast into Pennsville Township, Salem County as a six-lane freeway maintained by the Delaware River and Bay Authority that passes through industrial areas.[2][3] I-295/US 40 interchanges with US 130 and Route 49, where it narrows into a four-lane freeway maintained by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. A short distance after this interchange, the road enters Carneys Point Township, where it comes to an interchange with CR 551. At this point, I-295 splits from US 40 by turning northeast on a freeway concurrent with CR 551 while US 40 becomes concurrent with the four-lane New Jersey Turnpike and continues east with it for a short distance.[3][4] US 40 splits from the New Jersey Turnpike at the last exit before the toll barrier, the same point where Route 140 heads west and CR 540 heads to the east.[1] From this point, US 40 becomes a surface four-lane divided highway called Wiley Road that runs a short distance south of the New Jersey Turnpike, with a wide median.[1][2] It continues into rural areas with woods, farms, and some residences, heading farther to the south of the New Jersey Turnpike.[2]

Upon meeting the eastern terminus of Route 48, US 40 turns to the southeast and becomes the Harding Highway, a two-lane undivided road that passes through more agricultural areas. Upon crossing CR 646, the road enters Pilesgrove Township and continues past the Cowtown Rodeo. The route passes through the residential community of Sharptown before coming to an intersection with Route 45. At this point, US 40 turns to the northeast to form a concurrency with Route 45 and enters Woodstown, where it becomes West Avenue and passes residences before reaching the downtown area. Here, Route 45 splits from US 40 by heading north on Main Street and US 40 continues to the east as East Avenue, passing more developed areas. The route leaves Woodstown for Pilesgrove Township again, where it turns east-southeast as Harding Highway and heads back into a mix of fields and woods with some homes.[1][2] A short distance after entering Upper Pittsgrove Township, the road crosses CR 581. In the community of Pole Tavern further to the east, US 40 encounters Route 77, CR 604, and CR 635 at the Pole Tavern Circle.[1] Past Pole Tavern, the road passes more farm fields before coming to Elmer, where it becomes Chestnut Street. In Elmer, the route passes several homes and makes a turn to the northeast onto Front Street. Upon leaving Elmer, US 40 becomes Harding Highway again and forms the border of Upper Pittsgrove Township to the north and Pittsgrove Township to the south, passing through forested areas with some development. The route crosses CR 553 before passing through the community of Porchtown.[1][2]

Gloucester County

After Porchtown, US 40 crosses into Franklin Township in Gloucester County, turning southeast and running through more woods.[1][2] It comes to a cloverleaf interchange with Route 55, where US 40 is briefly a four-lane divided highway.[1] Past Route 55, the route continues past Malaga Lake and comes to the community of Malaga.[2] In Malaga, the route heads into a business district and intersects Route 47, turning to the northeast to run concurrent with that route on a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane through inhabited areas. After passing over a Conrail Shared Assets Operations railroad line, US 40 and Route 47 split, with Route 47 heading north and US 40 turning south and running parallel to the railroad tracks.[1][2] The road makes a turn to the east-southeast, leaving Malaga and returning to areas of farmland and trees.[2] The road briefly runs along the northern border of Newfield before coming to a crossroads with CR 555.[1] After passing near the Vineland-Downstown Airport, US 40 comes to an intersection with CR 557 and forms a concurrency with that route.[1][2]

Atlantic County

Immediately after CR 557 joins US 40, the road enters Buena, Atlantic County and continues southeast into inhabited areas. After running through the commercial center of town, the road comes to an intersection with Route 54 and CR 619 in a business area located on the outskirts.[1][2] At this point, it enters Buena Vista Township, and CR 557 splits form US 40 by heading to the southeast on Buena-Tuckahoe Road.[1] From this point, US 40 enters dense woodland with some homes and businesses as well as occasional farms.[2] The road reaches the residential community of Richland, where it encounters the eastern terminus of CR 540 and CR 622 and crosses a Conrail Shared Assets Operations railroad line. Upon leaving Richland, the route crosses into Hamilton Township, where it runs through Mizpah before heading back into forested areas with a few residences. US 40 intersects the eastern terminus of CR 552, briefly becoming a divided highway before turning east into denser inhabited areas.[1][2] The route comes to an intersection with Route 50, with that route forming a concurrency with US 40 before the road crosses the Great Egg Harbor River.[1] Upon crossing the river, the road enters Mays Landing and turns north into the downtown area.[1][2] Here, it meets CR 559 and US 40 splits from Route 50 by turning east onto that route.[1] The road passes more development before CR 559 splits from the road by heading southeast. US 40 heads east out of Mays Landing, where it continues through woodland with residential development increasing. The road widens into four lanes as it comes to an intersection with US 322 (Black Horse Pike) near the Hamilton Mall.[1][2] At this point, US 40 forms a concurrency with US 322, which lasts for the remainder of the route.[1]

The two routes continue to the southeast through business areas, meeting CR 575 and a ramp to the Atlantic City Expressway. CR 575 turns east to form a concurrency with US 40/US 322.[1][2] The road enters Egg Harbor Township, with CR 575 splitting from US 40/US 322 by turning to the south.[1] The route passes more wooded residential and commercial areas, as well as the Storybook Land amusement park, before intersecting CR 563. US 40/US 322 forms a concurrency with that route and passes through a business district that includes the Shore Mall. CR 563 splits from the road by continuing southeast and the Black Horse Pike heads east interchange with the Garden State Parkway.[1][2] The only direct ramp present is between the Black Horse Pike westbound and the Garden State Parkway northbound, with all other movements are provided by CR 563.[2] Past here, US 40/US 322 continues east past more businesses, crossing CR 651 before entering Pleasantville. In Pleasantville, the road crosses US 9, where the name changes to Verona Avenue. Upon crossing CR 585, the Black Horse Pike continues past residences as an undivided road, crossing back into Egg Harbor Township. The road passes more businesses, closely paralleling the Atlantic City Expressway before entering Atlantic City. Here, the name becomes Albany Avenue and it comes to a pair of ramps that provide access to and from the Black Horse Pike eastbound and the Atlantic City Expressway westbound.[1][2] US 40/US 322 enters marshland, crossing the Great Thorofare onto Great Island before passing over the Beach Thorofare. Past this bridge, the road passes between businesses to the west and the closed Bader Field airport and the abandoned Bernie Robbins Stadium to the east.[2] US 40/US 322 crosses the Inside Thorofare on a drawbridge and continues as a county maintained road to its end at Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Avenue, one block from the boardwalk.[1][2]

History

The portion of US 40 concurrent with US 322 follows the Black Horse Pike, a turnpike established in 1855 that was to run from Camden to Atlantic City via Blackwoodtown.[5] In 1923, pre-1927 Route 18S was created along the current alignment of US 40 east of the Route 48 intersection, running from Penns Grove to Atlantic City.[6] When the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926, the alignment of US 40 in New Jersey ran from Penns Grove, where a ferry carried the route across the Delaware River to Wilmington, Delaware, east to Atlantic City concurrent with pre-1927 Route 18S. [7][8] In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering that occurred a year later, pre-1927 Route 18S was replaced by Route 48.[9][10] In 1936, US 322 was also signed concurrent with US 40 on the Black Horse Pike. [11] The portion of US 40/US 322 that existed in Atlantic City was legislated as Route 55 in 1938.[12] Also by 1938, US 40 was moved to a ferry that ran across the Delaware River between Pennsville and New Castle, Delaware, following current Route 49, local roads, and CR 551 to travel between the ferry and Route 48.[13] Following the completion of the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the New Jersey Turnpike in 1951, US 40 was moved to the new bridge and routed to follow a small portion of the New Jersey Turnpike and Wiley Road to the current eastern terminus of Route 48.[14] In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, which eliminated several concurrencies between U.S. highways and state routes, Route 48 was removed from the portion of US 40 east of its current eastern terminus and the Route 55 designation was dropped entirely.[15][16]

In the 1980s, Congressman William J. Hughes proposed a freeway along the US 40 corridor in order to alleviate increased traffic along that route following the legalization of gambling in Atlantic City. This freeway, which was to be maintained by the New Jersey Expressway Authority, was to run from the Delaware Memorial Bridge east to Atlantic City.[17] However, the NJDOT determined that the traffic volume on US 40 did not justify the construction of a freeway along the corridor.[18] The Cardiff Circle along US 40/US 322 at CR 608 and CR 651 in Egg Harbor Township was eliminated in a $3.7 million project completed in 2002.[19]

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
SalemCarneys Point Township0.000.00 I-295Delaware Memorial Bridge
Continues into Delaware
0.951.53 New Jersey TurnpikeEastern end of concurrency
Western end of concurrency
1.171.88 US 130/Route 49
1.702.74 New Jersey TurnpikeEastern end of concurrency
1.852.98 Route 140/CR 540
5.428.72 Route 48
Pilesgrove Township10.0216.13 Route 45Western end of concurrency
Woodstown10.6717.17 Route 45Eastern end of concurrency
Upper Pittsgrove Township14.5723.45 CR 581
16.5226.59 Route 77Pole Tavern Circle
21.8235.12 CR 553
GloucesterFranklin Township25.5441.10 Route 55
26.7142.99 Route 47Western end of concurrency
27.2043.77 Route 47Eastern end of concurrency
30.2148.62 CR 555
32.6752.58 CR 557Western end of concurrency
AtlanticBuena35.1356.54 Route 54
Buena Vista Township35.2656.75 CR 557Eastern end of concurrency
38.1961.46 CR 540
Hamilton Township45.1772.69 CR 552
46.3574.59 Route 50Western end of concurrency
46.9775.59 Route 50/CR 559Eastern end of concurrency
Western end of concurrency
47.3076.12 CR 559Eastern end of concurrency
51.7383.25 US 322Western end of concurrency
51.9383.57 CR 575Western end of concurrency
Egg Harbor Township53.8586.66 CR 575Eastern end of concurrency
57.3492.28 CR 563
57.4292.41 Garden State Parkway
Pleasantville59.0995.10 US 9
59.4695.69 CR 585
Atlantic City62.1299.97 Atlantic City ExpresswayWestbound entrance/
eastbound exit only
64.28103.45Atlantic Ave/Pacific AveEastern terminus of
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "US 40 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "overview of U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  3. ^ a b "I-295 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  4. ^ "New Jersey Turnpike Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  5. ^ "Answer Guy: How did the White Horse and Black Horse Pikes get their names?". The Press of Atlantic City. August 31, 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Williams, Jimmy and Sharon. "NJ 1920s Route 18-S". 1920s New Jersey Highways. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  7. ^ United States System of Highways (Map). Bureau of Public Roads. 1926. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  8. ^ Williams, Jimmy and Sharon. "1927 Tydol Trails Map - South". 1920s New Jersey Highways. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  9. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.
  10. ^ Williams, Jimmy and Sharon. "1927 New Jersey Road Map". 1920s New Jersey Highways. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
  11. ^ "US 322 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). Internet Archives WayBack Machine. New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2004. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  12. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Chapter 283.
  13. ^ Nitzman, Alex. "1938 Delaware Road Map". AARoads. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  14. ^ Nitzman, Alex. "1951 Delaware Road Map". AARoads. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  15. ^ 1953 renumbering, New Jersey Department of Highways, retrieved July 31, 2009
  16. ^ "New Road Signs Ready in New Jersey". The New York Times. 1952-12-16. Retrieved 2009-07-20. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ Sardella, Carlos M. (1983-06-26). "Hughes Presses for New Route". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "Jersey To Review Need for Highway". The New York Times. 1984-11-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Temporary detour of traffic at the Cardiff Circle to begin Friday evening, May 3". New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2002-05-01. Retrieved 2009-10-21.

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U.S. Route 40
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