New Jersey Route 28

Route map:
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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

NJDOT and Union County
Length26.44 mi[1] (42.55 km)
Existed1927–present
Major junctions
West end US 22 in Bridgewater Township
Major intersections
East end Route 27 in Elizabeth
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountiesSomerset, Middlesex, Union
Highway system
Route 27 Route 29

Route 28 is a

New Jersey Transit’s Raritan Valley Line
for much of its length.

Prior to 1927, Route 28 was known as Route 9, which was designated in 1917 to run from

County Route 614
. A portion of the route in Elizabeth was realigned to replace Route 27-28 Link, with the former route becoming Route 439.

Route description

Somerset County

Westbound along Route 28 before CR 567 on the Bridgewater–Raritan municipal line

Route 28 begins at an

County Route 614.[1] The route heads through predominantly residential areas, eventually forming the border between Raritan to the southwest and Bridgewater Township to the northeast. It intersects the northern terminus of County Route 567 (First Avenue) before heading into business areas, where it comes to the modified Somerville Circle, where Route 28 intersects U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 206.[1][2] This traffic circle has been modified to allow U.S. Route 202 to pass over and interchange with the circle, while U.S. Route 206 and Route 28 continue through the circle.[2] Past the Somerville Circle, Route 28 becomes a 35 mph (56 km/h) road named West End Avenue that intersects County Route 644 (Frelinghuysen Avenue) just before entering Somerville.[1] Here, the route passes residences and crosses County Route 643 (Mountain Avenue) before coming to an intersection with County Route 626 (Somerset Street). At this intersection, Route 28 bears to the left and heads east on West Main Street, which proceeds through the business district of downtown Somerville. The route becomes East Main Street upon crossing Bridge Street.[1][2]

Route 28 eastbound past US 202/US 206 at the Somerville Circle in Raritan

Upon leaving the downtown area, the route turns north onto Gaston Avenue and heads into residential areas again, with County Route 612 continuing east on Main Street.

divided highway that heads through industrial and commercial areas.[1][2] The road makes a junction with County Route 685 (Promenade Boulevard) before coming to an interchange with Interstate 287.[1] Past this interchange, the route continues into Bound Brook as a two-lane undivided road and heads through business areas. In Bound Brook, Route 28 intersects the southern terminus of County Route 525 (Thompson Avenue) and County Route 635 (Vosseller Avenue) before heading into more residential surroundings and crossing County Route 527 (Mountain Avenue).[1][2]

Middlesex and Union counties

View east along Route 28 at CR 529 in Dunellen

Upon crossing

County Route 622 (Raritan Avenue). The route heads into a mix of residences and businesses, turning more to the northeast and becoming Bound Brook Avenue at the intersection with Marlborough Avenue.[1][2] It intersects County Route 607 (Lincoln Avenue), where Route 28 narrows to two lanes, and Warrenville Road before crossing into Dunellen.[1] Here, Route 28 heads east through residential and commercial areas before turning northeast to closely parallel NJ Transit’s Raritan Valley Line (which runs to the south of the route) as North Avenue. The route crosses County Route 529 (Washington Avenue) in the downtown area of Dunellen.[1][2]

Route 28 crosses into Plainfield, Union County, where it becomes county-maintained Front Street, resuming northeast through residential and industrial areas before entering a more residential environment. The road encounters a mix of residences and businesses before intersecting Plainfield Avenue, where County Route 620 continues northeast on West Front Street and Route 28 turns to the southeast onto Plainfield Avenue.[1][2] The route crosses the Raritan Valley Line before turning northeast on a one-way pair, with eastbound Route 28 following Fifth Street and westbound Route 28 following Fourth Street. County Route 603 continues southeast on Plainfield Avenue from this point.[1] The one-way pair, which has two lanes in each direction, passes residences before crossing County Route 531 (Park Avenue) in the commercial downtown area of Plainfield, coinciding with the directional change of Fourth Street and Fifth Street from west to east.[1][2] At the intersection with Roosevelt Avenue, Route 28 becomes 25 mph (40 km/h) two-way East Fifth Street, with the name becoming South Avenue at the intersection with Richmond Street.[1] The route passes through urban residential and industrial areas, with the Raritan Valley Line located a short distance to the northwest.[2] The road extends through more suburban commercial areas before crossing County Route 611 (Terrill Road), where Route 28 enters Fanwood. A short distance later, at the second intersection with Old South Avenue, the route becomes state-maintained again and continues past businesses, intersecting County Route 655 (Martine Avenue) before it heads into residential neighborhoods and meets County Route 601 (Laurel Place).[1][2]

View westbound along Route 28 from the Garden State Parkway in Cranford

Upon crossing County Route 606 (Hetfield Avenue), Route 28 turns slightly mor east and enters Scotch Plains, where it passes homes to the south and businesses to the north. It continues into Westfield, where it passes more residences and businesses. The road intersects County Route 648 (Broad Street) before coming to a roundabout.[1][2] Here, County Route 610 continues east on South Avenue and Route 28 heads north as a four-lane divided highway concurrent with County Route 610 that passes under the Raritan Valley Line. After crossing under the railroad line, the road intersects North Avenue, which heads west as County Route 610 and east as Route 28. Meanwhile, County Route 509 continues north on East Broad Street from this intersection.[1] Route 28 continues east as a four-lane undivided road through the downtown area of Westfield, crossing County Route 613 (Central Avenue). The route passes residences to the north and businesses to the south, with the Raritan Valley Line located a short distance to the south, becoming a two-lane road before entering Garwood. In Garwood, the road heads through more commercial areas before intersecting Route 59 (Lincoln Avenue) on the border of Cranford.[1][2] Route 59 is a short route that provides access to County Route 610, passing under the Raritan Valley Line.[1] In Cranford, Route 28 passes homes before entering the commercial downtown area, where it intersects County Route 615 (Springfield Avenue/Centennial Avenue). From here, the road stretches through residential and commercial areas before widening into a four-lane divided highway and interchanging with the Garden State Parkway.[1][2]

Past this interchange, Route 28 becomes West Westfield Avenue and crosses into Roselle Park, where it continues through a mix of residences and commercial establishments. It crosses over the Raritan Valley Line and Conrail Shared Assets Operations' Lehigh Line before it intersects with County Route 617 (Faitoute Avenue/Gordon Street) and heads into the downtown area of Roselle Park. Here, the road comes to junctions with County Route 619 (Locust Street) and County Route 627 (Chestnut Street) before heading into residential areas.[1][2] The route intersects County Route 616 (Linden Road), forming a brief concurrency with that route until the county route turns north onto Galloping Hill Road.[1] At this point, Route 28 enters Elizabeth, where it continues through more urbanized residential areas before crossing Route 439 (Elmora Avenue). After the intersection with Route 439, the route continues past urban residences and business, narrowing into a two-lane undivided road at the intersection with County Route 618 (Magie Avenue).[1][2] A short distance later, Route 28 ends at an intersection with the southbound direction of Route 27, which turns from Westfield Avenue to head south on Chilton Street.[1]

History

Route 28 follows the course of the Tuckaraming Trail, and old Lenape Trail that later became the

U.S. Route 22 Alternate (now Route 122).[9] In the 1953 renumbering of state highways, which eliminated long concurrencies between U.S. and state highways, the western terminus of Route 28 was placed at the intersection of U.S. Route 22 and Easton Turnpike in Branchburg Township, with the designation west of there dropped in favor of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 22 Alternate. In addition, Route 28 was moved to its current alignment in Elizabeth, replacing Route 27-28 Link; Route 439 was designated along the former alignment of Route 28 that ran to the Goethals Bridge.[8]

Due in general to farmland development and safety concerns, the western terminus of Route 28 was later adjusted to the second Easton Turnpike interchange with U.S. Route 22 in Bridgewater Township, creating Somerset County Route 614. This allowed for local control of speed limits in the now congested stretch of Easton Turnpike between its two intersections with U.S. Route 22.

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
CR 614 west (Easton Turnpike) – North Branch
Interchange, western terminus
Raritan1.562.51
CR 567 south (First Avenue)
Northern terminus of CR 567
2.25–
2.29
3.62–
3.69

Somerville Circle
Exit 13A-B (I-287)
Bound Brook7.0311.31
CR 525 north (Thompson Avenue) – Martinsville
Southern terminus of CR 525
7.9512.79 CR 527 (Mountain Avenue) – New Brunswick, North Plainfield
MiddlesexDunellen12.0919.46 CR 529 (Washington Avenue)
UnionPlainfield15.1924.45 CR 531 (Park Avenue)
Westfield19.7231.74
CR 509 north (Broad Street) – Springfield
Cranford21.6734.87
Route 59 south (Lincoln Avenue)
Northern terminus of Route 59
23.0937.16
G.S. Parkway
Exit 137 (Garden State Parkway)
Elizabeth25.9241.71
Route 439 (Elmora Avenue) to N.J. Turnpike – Goethals Bridge
26.4442.55 Route 27 (Westfield Avenue/Chilton Street)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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 z aa ab "Route 28 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Google (July 8, 2009). "overview of New Jersey Route 28" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  3. ^ 1917 Annual Report (Report). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1917.
  4. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons
    .
  5. ^ Map of New Jersey (Map). Tydol Trails. 1927. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  6. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.
  7. ^ 1927 New Jersey Road Map (Map). State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
  8. ^ a b "1953 renumbering". New Jersey Department of Highways. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. H.M. Gousha
    . Mid-West Map Co. 1941. Retrieved March 29, 2009.

External links

KML is from Wikidata