New Jersey Roads - NJ 173

NJ 173


All westbound at the western end of NJ 173 (hence the MILE 0), since the eastbound signs are all on US 22 (link at bottom). In the background of the last photo is another sign better seen on the US 22 page. Yup, you guessed it, NJ 173 is old US 22, and now serves as the frontage road for I-78/US 22. Of course, it would be silly to route US 22 on the surface road instead of multiplexing it, because, well... Actually, from a traffic standpoint, it does make more sense to keep people following a major road on a major road, and a lot of people are following 22 west to Pennsylvania, but I think renumbering wouldn't change driving habits too drastically - especially if I-78 is effectively signed as a bypass for the two-lane.


Bridges on the original NJSHR 9 date from 1926, and exist all over US 22's former two-lane alignments west of Somerville. In 1929 or thereabouts, US 22 was redesignated from SHR 9 to SHR 29, as the modern route system entered its first iteration (much of the original routes are still county roads, others town or even gone).


WB under a railroad east of Bloomsbury.


WB at the circle above I-78 Exit 11; Pattenburg is via CR 614. First and third photos (really part of the same original) courtesy Doug Swift.


Eastbound at CR 513, first with a state-name shield, then with an overly wide shield, and then with a tiny-numbered shield. That's not a red light camera (those are illegal in New Jersey), just a vehicle sensor.


An original signpost that would have had a little white sign on it, westbound in Clinton where W. Main St. turns away from Pittstown Rd. at I-78 Exit 15. CR 513, which multiplexes with NJ 173 behind me as I took this, continues onto Pittstown straight ahead, while 173 (westbound only, since it turns into a one-way ramp soon) bears right on W Main.


Coming from NJ 31, via a couple of turns one can access Old Route 22 from Beaver Road (which is also old Route 22), and thus come southward to this intersection. NJ 173 begins straight ahead from Center Street from signage, though legislatively it began a block ago at Beaver St. and NJ 31.

Onto US 22
Onto I-78
Onto CR 513
To NJ 31
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