NJ 42 is a brief connector freeway between I-76 and NJ 55, and then several more miles of freeway out to the Atlantic City Expressway, before returning to its surface routing (which is now NJ 168 to the north). Once it returns, it's as a divided highway, which it remains straight on into US 322 - NJ 42 once followed US 322 into Atlantic City, and the NJ state highway predates the US highway.
SB on the Black Horse Pike, an older shield missing the county name.
For more on the shielded mileposts, see below - MP 7 is just after the ACE merged, so it makes sense to use the 42 shield here.
Northbound, all courtesy Scott Colbert except the middle one (the Exit 10 advance) and the first one. NJ 42 doesn't get serious about its signs until it's about to run into NJ 55; the LGS's are reminiscent of those found on the lower reaches of 55. Don't know where NJDOT (or a contractor) pulled the white EXIT sign out of, but I ain't puttin' it back in.
SB at the end of the NJ 42 freeway. The sign is South Jersey Transportation Authority - i.e. the ACE is overstepping its bounds a tad. The SJTA is also overstepping its bounds, as it maintains the southern two or three miles of the NJ 42 freeway.
There's a new interchange - Exit 7B - at Camden County College, with new roundabouts and new signs. This is the worst of the new signs, leading the way out of the SB exit's roundabout. There are three others on the east side, but the signs are all proper there.
The former Exit 13 slip ramp from NJ 42 SB to NJ 41 SB, also from Scott. Exit 13 is now a pair of onramps, meaning it's no longer numbered. Traffic heading to NJ 41 must use Exit 14, Clements Bridge Rd. Scott tells me that there is a new Exit 13 NB offramp replacing the Exit 14 offramp to eliminate weaving between the two interchanges.
Southbound on NJ 42, up to the end of the first offramp south of I-295. The Creek Rd. exit uses surface streets to connect, so this is Leaf Ave. WB at Harding Ave. in Bellmawr, and the only example I'm aware of where a CR 7xx is signed from a New Jersey freeway.
The embossed sign at the end of the NB ramp. Leaf Ave. is do not enter on school days only, but try seeing that with 20/40 vision.
NB on NJ 42, setting up the express-local lanes that continue through the I-295 interchange, along I-76, to I-676. It makes it much easier for NJ 42 to I-76 through traffic (and vice versa) to stay out of I-295 exiting/entering traffic, in a due-to-be-reworked ramp configuration that slows mainline I-295 traffic to 35 MPH. First photo courtesy Doug Kerr, and the second one is mine.
Courtesy Scott Colbert once more, the shield on the mile marker helps motorists sort out what highway they're on: NJ 42 NB traffic merges with ACE traffic NB, and both have the option of using old NJ 42, NJ 168. Then, NJ 55 traffic merges with both of these, and before one can blink, drivers are made to think they're already on I-76, even though NJ 42 really ends at I-295.
All this time, I never mentioned anything about NJ 42 at I-295, despite the awkward interchange, the way I-295 forks around both sides of NJ 42/I-76, and now the ongoing decades of construction to get I-295 to fly over it all (the "Direct Connection", as opposed to the "Both Sides of the Awkward Interchange"). And, what you'll see by clicking here and enjoying some classic Peanut Butter Conspiracy, the Missing Moves ramps. Until December 2023, you could not go from NJ 42 NB to I-295 SB or vice versa. It was assumed no one needed to make these movements, and perhaps an NJ 60 freeway cutting across the bottom of the state, but over time there has been a growth in demand and no good connection. Finally - and I'll shyly admit I helped make this happen - NJDOT decided on building these ramps, leaving a large landfill area in Bellmawr that could be capped and developed into a nice property, and just went out there and got it done while Direct Connection work continues. The video starts on NJ 42 NB, and magically transitions to the return ramp to NJ 42 SB partway through.
