New Jersey Route 4

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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"NJ 4" redirects here. The term may also refer to New Jersey's 4th congressional district.
This article is about the current New Jersey Route 4. For the Route 4 that existed before 1927, see New Jersey Route 4 (pre-1927).

Route 4 marker

Route 4

Mackay Highway
Map
Route 4 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NJDOT
Length10.83 mi[1] (17.43 km)
Existed1927 (1934 on present alignment)–present
Major junctions
West end Route 20 in Paterson
Major intersections
East end
US 9W in Fort Lee
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountiesPassaic, Bergen
Highway system
← Route 3→ Route 5

Route 4 is an east-west arterial road in Bergen County and Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The highway stretches 10.83 mi (17.43 km) from Route 20 (McLean Boulevard) in Paterson east to an interchange with Interstate 95 (I-95), U.S. Route 1/9 (US 1/9), US 46, and US 9W at the George Washington Bridge approach in Fort Lee.

The route is a four- to six-lane

divided highway for its entire length, with the portion east of the Route 208 interchange in Fair Lawn consisting entirely of interchanges and right-in/right-out intersections with many businesses along the road, particularly in Paramus, where the route passes through a major shopping area consisting of numerous malls, Hackensack, Englewood, and Fort Lee. Route 4 intersects many important roads, including Route 208 in Fair Lawn and the Garden State Parkway and Route 17 in Paramus. It also serves as a northern alternative to Interstate 80 between Paterson and the George Washington Bridge. The highway is officially named the Mackay Highway,[2]
but is rarely referred to as such.

Originally legislated to traverse the state from Cape May to the George Washington Bridge, Route 4 was heavily reduced to its current alignment in 1953. Today's stretch of the route was completed by 1934; the state planned to upgrade it to a freeway, but plans never materialized. Despite this, the route has seen improvements, such as to the interchanges with Route 17 in 1999 and with Route 208 in 2002.

Route 4 is a heavily used commuter, retail, and long-distance artery. As well as providing a critical commuter route from the

Oradell to the north, and more urbanized, industrialized, working-class areas like Hackensack
to the south.

Route description

Route 4 eastbound in Fair Lawn

Route 4 starts in Paterson, Passaic County at the intersection of Broadway and East 43rd Street at an interchange with Route 20 (McLean Boulevard), heading east on Broadway, a four-lane arterial road with a Jersey barrier.[1] The route passes over Route 20 and continues east, crossing the Passaic River into Elmwood Park, Bergen County and passing over County Route 507 (CR 507). Route 4 features a right-in/right-out in the eastbound direction that provides access to CR 507.[1] The route continues east on Broadway as an arterial road with a concrete then a grassy median, with businesses lining both sides of the roadway.[3] At the intersection with Cyril Avenue, Route 4 runs along the border of Elmwood Park to the south and Fair Lawn to the north before entirely entering Fair Lawn, where the route passes under NJ Transit’s Bergen County Line near Broadway station. It intersects CR 67 (Midland Avenue) and continues east as an arterial road with a Jersey barrier through commercial areas of Fair Lawn.[1][3]

Route 4 comes to an interchange

CR 59 (Forest Avenue/Maywood Avenue).[1][3]

Route 4 westbound in Paramus
The east end of Route 4 at US 9W in Fort Lee

As the road leaves Paramus, businesses no longer line the route.

CSX's River Subdivision line and reaching an interchange with Queen Anne Road . It interchanges with CR 39 (Teaneck Road) and Webster Avenue/Farragut Drive before crossing into Englewood where the route crosses Overpeck Creek and businesses resume along the road with access to businesses and a few local roads provided by right-in/right-out ramps.[1][3] In Englewood, Route 4 passes over CSX's Northern Branch rail line. Nearby is a cloverleaf interchange with Route 93 and CR 501 (Grand Avenue).[1] Past this interchange, businesses stop along the road and it continues east with three lanes in the eastbound direction and two lanes in the westbound direction, coming to an interchange with Jones Road . Past this interchange, the road continues south with businesses along the road, crossing into Fort Lee. In Fort Lee, the lanes split as Route 4 approaches I-95, with the eastbound lanes passing over I-95. Route 4 continues south with I-95 in the median, ending at an interchange with I-95, US 1/9, US 46, and US 9W, at the George Washington Bridge approach.[1][3]

History

Broadway Bridge over Passaic River

Route 4 was originally legislated in the

limited-access highway; however, World War II delayed plans for the expressway.[12]

By Joint Resolution No. 11, approved June 8, 1935, the

New Jersey Supreme Court.[13]

View west along Route 4 just west of Kinderkamack Road in River Edge

Route 4 had several former spur routes that existed prior to the

Cape May County Route 626.[4][15]

Route 4 eastbound approaching Route 17 interchange in Paramus

In the 1953 renumbering, Route 4 was defined to run along its current alignment between Route 20 in Paterson and the George Washington Bridge. Between Cape May and South Amboy, the Route 4 designation was dropped in favor of US 9 while the portion of the route between South Amboy and Rahway became a part of Route 35.

limited-access highway through Bergen County. Three alignments were proposed in 1956: one along Route 4, one along US 46, and one in between the two routes.[19] The alignment between the two routes was chosen due to the least disruption it would cause and it was built as I-80.[20] In the 1960s, recommendations were made to upgrade Route 4 to a freeway but was cancelled due to feared disruption to residents.[21]

Many improvements have been made to the existing Route 4 arterial. The Route 17 interchange in Paramus was rebuilt at a cost of $120 million in 1999, replacing the 1932 cloverleaf interchange by adding several

flyover ramps.[22] In 2002, construction was completed on a $32 million project that improved the interchange with Route 208 in Fair Lawn. This interchange saw improvements of the ramps and bridges, including the Route 208 bridge over Saddle River Road.[23]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
PassaicPaterson0.000.00
 Route 20 (McLean Boulevard) / Broadway west to G.S. Parkway		Interchange; western terminus
Passaic River0.130.21Route 4 Bridge
BergenElmwood Park0.170.27 CR 507 (River Drive) – Clifton, PassaicInterchange; eastbound exit and entrance
CR 67
south)		No westbound left turn
2.003.22
 Route 208 north – Oakland		Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
2.113.40

 Saddle River Road (
CR 79 south) to G.S. Parkway
south		Interchange; eastbound exit and entrance
CR 62) – Ridgewood
Interchange; no eastbound access to Paramus Road south
2.904.67
 G.S. Parkway south – Saddle Brook		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit 161 on G.S. Parkway
3.054.91
Ikea
Drive		Interchange
3.345.38

 Route 17 to G.S. Parkway north – Mahwah, Rutherford		Interchange
3.896.26Spring Valley Road – Maywood, OradellInterchange; access to Bergen Town Center
4.316.94Forest Avenue / Maywood Avenue (
CR 59)
Interchange; access to Bergen Town Center
collector/distributor roads
Shops at Riverside
Cloverleaf interchange
CR 41) – Teaneck, Bogota, New Milford
Interchange
6.9011.10Belle Avenue – TeaneckInterchange
7.1411.49Queen Anne Road – Ridgefield Park, BergenfieldInterchange
7.5912.21Teaneck Road (
CR 39) – Ridgefield Park, Bergenfield
Interchange
8.0813.00Webster Avenue / Farragut DriveInterchange; eastbound exit and entrance
Decatur AvenueInterchange; westbound exit and entrance
Englewood8.6713.95Van Brunt Street – EnglewoodInterchange; westbound exit and entrance
9.0414.55

 Route 93 south / CR 501 north (Grand Avenue) – Leonia, Englewood		Cloverleaf interchange; northern terminus of Route 93; southern terminus of CR 501
9.6215.48Jones RoadInterchange
US 46 east (Express Lanes) – George Washington Bridge Upper Level
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; all trucks to New York
10.59–
10.69		17.04–
17.20
US 9W north to Palisades Parkway north – Fort Lee
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exit 72 in concordance with I-95
10.8317.43
US 46 east (Local Lanes) – George Washington Bridge Upper Level
Eastern terminus; exit 72A on I-95
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 "Route 4 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "Route 4 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). Internet Archives WayBack Machine. New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2005. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Google (February 18, 2009). "overview of New Jersey Route 4" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.
  5. ^ 1927 New Jersey Road Map (Map). State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
  6. ^ Annual Report. New Jersey State Highway Department. 1917.
  7. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1923, Chapter 182-183.
  8. ^ Annual Report. New Jersey State Highway Department. 1916.
  9. ^ Map of New Jersey (Map). Tydol Trails. 1927. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  10. ^
    H.M. Gousha
    . Mid-West Map Co. 1941. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
  11. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  12. ^ "Freeways Are Now Urged". The New York Times. December 13, 1936.
  13. ^ State of New Jersey; Laws of 1935, Joint Resolution No. 11
  14. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1939, complied.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h 1953 renumbering. New Jersey Department of Highways. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  16. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1929, Chapter 126.
  17. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Chapter 134.
  18. ^ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1946, Chapter 117.
  19. ^ Wright, George Cable (January 17, 1956). "Plans for Bergen Expressway Stir Protest in Passaic County". The New York Times.
  20. ^ United States featuring the Interstate Highway System (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1966.
  21. ^ "Expressway Plans". Regional Plan Association News. May 1964.
  22. ^ "Governor Cuts Ribbon for Route 4 and 17 Interchange". New Jersey Department of Transportation. November 24, 1999. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  23. ^ "Routes 4/208 Construction Fair Lawn, Bergen County Frequently Asked Questions". New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

External links

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