New Jersey Route 26
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Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | New Jersey | |||
Counties | Middlesex | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Route 26 is a
Route 26 originates as the alignment of the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike, chartered in 1803 from Warren and Green Streets in
Route description
Running northward through the commercial district, Route 26 enters a more residential region around the intersection with Jessica Lane. The highway continues northward, intersecting with
History
Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike
Route 26 followed a majority of the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike, a gravel toll road envisioned in 1795 to connect
On August 9, 1805, the commissioners of the turnpike met in the community of Kingston to appoint officers and to begin to lay out the new highway. Enough of the 2,000 shares had been subscribed, and the commissioners went ahead and approved a survey map created for the turnpike. By 1806, a portion of the new turnpike was opened and tolls were being collected on the new highway. On November 28, 1806, a second charter was passed in the legislature to grant fines of $20 (1806 dollars) for evading tolls or defacing property along the turnpike. In 1807, the road was completed, and Henry Gallatin, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, reported that the alignment of the 25-mile (40 km) long turnpike was nearly straight except for an "obstruction" at Sand Hills, where they had to dig into the hill to create the highway. The new turnpike was 36 feet (11 m) wide and had stone abutments for the new wooden bridges.[4]
The turnpike was heavily trafficked, with several forms of transportation using it at a time. There were three tollgates along the turnpike, one at around 4 miles (6.4 km) from Trenton, one at Ridge Road and one at the current railroad crossing for US 1. Toll collectors on the turnpike would often have a hard time counting the number of horses at a tollgate because of kicked up smoke and dust. During the
To cause further problems, in 1832, the New Jersey State Legislature approved the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad, a railroad to connect the two cities. A further note was made that the railroad could acquire the old turnpike for railroad right-of-way to connect Philadelphia and New York. That December, the railroad company attempted to merge the turnpike company into theirs, but faced opposition. In 1834, the turnpike company requested the choice to put another railroad on their turnpike right-of-way, but the monopoly from the Delaware and Raritan Canal and Camden and Amboy Railroad immediately opposed. Later that year, the Philadelphia and Trenton gained a controlling interest in the turnpike company, with hopes to lay the tracks on the right-of-way. The railroad company petitioned the state legislature to let them lay tracks, but the votes turned against their favor. After the Camden and Amboy commandeered control of the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad, a secret truce was made in 1835, which left the construction of a railroad to become a dead proposal, and the right-of-way remained a road. However, the turnpike was already hurting for funds, as passenger and most stagecoach traffic had moved to the Camden and Amboy Railroad. The last stagecoach line left went out of business soon after becoming the only stagecoach line along the turnpike, which cut turnpike revenues drastically.[4]
By 1858, the turnpike had basically begun to fold, with tolls only being charged at one gate for several years as most traffic had moved to rails rather than road. That year however, there were some upgrades made to the road, but not by much. In 1867, the competitor Camden and Amboy Railroad merged with the United New Jersey Railroad to create a new company. In December 1871, that company then became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which was one of the major railroads at that point. The railroad also took over jurisdiction of the turnpike. In 1899, people from Trenton and nearby Penns Neck approached the railroad to help reconstruct the old turnpike road, but no full proposal ever came forward. By 1903, the 1804 charter had expired, and the roadway was placed under public control, but was still in a derelict condition.[4]
Route 26 is designated
In 1927, about 24 years after the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike was revert to the state for future usage, the
Route 26 along with
In October 1935, the State Highway Department started work on moving an 8-mile (13 km) stretch of Route 26 over 12 feet (3.7 m) from its current alignment. The project, considered unprecedented in history, was tested in September of that year near Penns Neck to certify the feasibility of such an accomplishment. Work started in October, costing the state $400,000 (1935 dollars), including money from the Public Works Administration. The stretch of highway from Ridge Road to Adams Station Road was to be moved over to reduce the number of accidents occurring along the former alignment. In 1934 alone, accidents along Route 26 caused 90 fatalities, with a similar figure occurring until that point in 1935.[12] By November 1936, the project had completed 7 miles (11 km) of the proposed 8-mile (13 km) conversion, an engineering feat of the time. The men who were doing this were considered "experts" in the jobs.[13] By February 1939, the project had ballooned in price, reaching $842,000 (1939 dollars) and the project was still incomplete. The missing work included a new island for a median.[14]
During the 1930s, the outcry for lighting along State Highway Routes 26 and 25 began to rise with the number of traffic accidents. Approximately 7.70% of traffic were in accidents along Route 26 at nighttime contrary to 2.42% during the daytime.[15] Although lighting was still in testing by 1938 (with State Highway Route 24 as a test highway), Route 26 still had a high night accident rate, urging further actions for lighting the new roadway.[16] During the 1940s, the Middlesex County officials designated Route 26 (Livingston Avenue) through New Brunswick as County Highway 3-R-16, but was signed as part of Route 26 to its end at State Highway Route S-28 (George Street).[17] In 1941, the State Highway Department designated a spur along Jersey Avenue in North Brunswick and New Brunswick, which was taken over as State Highway Route 26-A, that provided direct access to State Highway Route 27 in New Brunswick.[18] In 1947, the New Jersey State Highway Department expanded a 10-mile (16 km) stretch of three-lane roadway to four lanes for $500,000. This addition of new lanes was started to help safety of drivers down Route 26.[19]
Trenton Freeway and truncation
During the 1950s, plans arose in Trenton to construct a new bypass of the city to the west. The bypass, to be a four-lane freeway, was designated as another portion of Route 26 when the highway was constructed in 1952. The new route also included the construction of the
Major intersections
The entire route is in Middlesex County.
Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Brunswick Township | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 1 north – Newark | Interchange, southern terminus of Route 26 | |
0.87 | 1.40 | US 1 south / Route 26 Connector – Trenton | Interchange | ||
New Brunswick | 2.54 | 4.09 | CR 691 north (North Livingston Avenue) / Nassau Street | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
- U.S. Roads portal
- New Jersey portal
References
- ^ a b c "Route 26 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2009. pp. 1–2. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- ^ "Route 171 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. pp. 1–2. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ NAVTEQ. Bing Maps. 2009. Archived from the originalon 2010-03-09. Retrieved November 19, 2009.
- ^ Plainsboro, New Jersey: Plainsboro Historical Society Inc. 2009. Archived from the originalon June 19, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.
- ^ Williams, Jimmy and Sharon. "1927 New Jersey Road Map". 1920s New Jersey Highways. Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ "Reported About Roads". The New York Times. June 22, 1930. p. XX7.
- ^ Dickinson, Leon A. (October 5, 1930). "Early Autumn In New Jersey". The New York Times. p. XX7.
- ^ ROUTE NO. S-26. Beginning at a point in Route No. 26 near the southerly boundary line of city of New Brunswick and extending easterly by passing the city of New Brunswick to a point in Route No. 25. L. 1927, c. 319.
- ^ Dickinson, Leon A. (January 18, 1931). "On The Highways Of Florida". The New York Times. p. 130.
- ^ "On Highways-In Traffic". The New York Times. January 31, 1932. p. XX8.
- ^ Kane Jr., Frank (October 13, 1935). "Will Push Road Aside". The New York Times. p. XX5.
- ^ Bernstein, Victor H. (November 15, 1936). "Safer State Highways Planned". The New York Times. p. XX14.
- ^ "New Jersey Dresses Up". The New York Times. February 19, 1939. p. 138.
- ^ "Lighted Highways Urged". The New York Times. February 26, 1937. p. 3.
- ^ "At The Wheel". The New York Times. January 16, 1938. p. 170.
- ^ Middlesex County (Map). Cartography by Middlesex County, New Jersey. Middlesex County, New Jersey. 1947.
- ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1941.
- Chicago Daily Tribune. May 18, 1947. p. 30.
- ^ "Delaware Bridge at Trenton Opens". The New York Times. December 2, 1952. p. 33.
- ^ Wikisource:1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
- ^ Route 26 Straight Line Diagram (1980 ed.). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1980.
- ^ "County Route 691 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2009. p. 2. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ Route 171 Straight Line Diagram (1980 ed.). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1980.
External links
- Media related to New Jersey Route 26 at Wikimedia Commons
- Middlesex County 691 straight line diagram (PDF)
- Route 26 by NJ Route Log