NEW JERSEY ROUTE 18

'Route 18' is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its southern terminus is at Route 138 in Wall Township; its northern terminus is at Hoes Lane, just north of the Metlars Lane/Rutgers University interchange in Piscataway. One long section of freeway runs from its south end (exit 6) to U.S. Route 9 (exit 30); another shorter freeway connects Route 172 in New Brunswick with Hoes Lane via a bridge over the Raritan River. In between is a divided highway with jughandles. The southern freeway is the second-longest continuous state route freeway in New Jersey at 25.5 miles (41 km), more than half the length of the 40-mile (64 km) Route 55. The speed limit on Route 18 differs between towns. The highest however is 65 mph (105 km/h) in Monmouth County.^[2]
Route 18 begins at an interchange with Route 138 in Wall. The road goes north as a freeway, with multiple numbered exits. The first exits are 6A, B and C, which are for Route 138 alone. The next few are for local roads. Exit 10 is for Route 66, Exit 15 is for the Garden State Parkway and Exit 19 is for Route 34. The road continues north, running through the towns of Colts Neck, Marlboro and soon entering Old Bridge. The freeway section ends after Exit 30 for U.S. Route 9, afterwards, 18 continues as a divided highway, meeting up with the New Jersey Turnpike at milepost 39. The road crosses Route 1, Route 27 and Route 172 in New Brunswick and continues across the Raritan River Bridge into Piscatway. The road used to end at Route 622 in Piscataway, but was extended to its new terminus at Hoes Lane in the same town.

Contents

Route description

History

Future developments

Major junctions

Freeway (Route 9 and south)

Route 18 (Between 9 and Turnpike)

Route 18 freeway (North of Turnpike)

References

External links

Route description

New Jersey Route 18 begins at a jughandle with Route 138 in Wall Township.^[3] NJ 18 goes north passing through Glendola. It comes upon Exit 7, which is for Brighton Avenue and begins parallel to the road. Route 18 comes upon Monmouth County Routes 18 and 33. Farther north, at Exit 10, Route 18 intersects with New Jersey Route 66 (Asbury Avenue). After passing exits 11, 12 and 13, which are for some local and county roads, Route 18 turns west and meets up the Garden State Parkway and Route 36. After a while of no exits or notable places, Route 18 intersects with Route 34 at Exit 19. Soon after passing Exit 29 for Bridge Road (County Route 520), Route 18 enters Middlesex County. Route 18's freeway soon ends after passing Exit 30 for U.S. Route 9.

Communities[4]
★ Tinton Falls ★ Marlboro ★ Old Bridge ★ East Brunswick ★ New Brunswick ★ Piscataway

Route 18's southern terminus

Soon after ending as a freeway, 18 continues and crosses County Route 527. Passing Brunswick Square Mall to the left, Route 18 continues north and crosses County Route 535 in Cranbury. After passing some local roads and entering the East Brunswick general area, Route 18 intersects with 527 again. Soon after, Route 18 intersects with the New Jersey Turnpike. Route 18 continues north and enters a cloverleaf with U.S. Route 1. After passing some local roads, Route 18 intersects with Route 172 and soon afterwards with Route 27. Paralleling with George Street (County Route 672) and soon intersects with it. Route 18 continues, crossing its former terminus with County Route 622.^[5] Route 18 dissimenates into Hoes Lane and ends.
The John A. Lynch, Sr. Memorial Bridge spans the Raritan River, connecting Piscataway Township on the north with New Brunswick on the south.

History

Route S28: 1927-1953

The NJDOT had anticipated upgrading the section of Route 18 through New Brunswick to freeway (or Jersey freeway) status. They even proposed an extension of the freeway from New Brunswick, through Piscataway and finally terminating at U.S. Route 22 in Bound Brook. However, tight funding in the 1970s caused both of these plans to fall through.^[6]
Prior to the 1953 renumbering, Route 18 was 'Route S28', and split from Route 28 near Bound Brook.^[7] It was signed east-west for a while even after it became Route 18.^[8]

Old 1960 photo of Route 18 sign

Route 18 was extended north from River Road, just across the Raritan River from New Brunswick, around 2004. Plans are in place to rebuild Route 18 south to U.S. Route 1 and the New Jersey Turnpike, but not as a full freeway. There are also plans to extend Route 18 north from Hoes Lane to Interstate 287; this too may not be built as a freeway. To the south, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) had plans to extend the southern terminus to the Brielle Circle, which is why Route 138 is exit 6 rather than 0 or 1. A portion of the right-of-way that NJDOT owns has been converted into a multi-use trail that links the Wall Township Municipal complex to the existing Edgar Felix Bikeway that runs from Manasquan to Allaire State Park.^[9]
The north-south portion east of the Garden State Parkway (south of exit 13B in Eatontown) was initially planned as a replacement of Route 35, but those plans were canceled and it instead became part of Route 18. Only the part south of exit 11 was built as Route 35.

Future developments

Proposal Map of Route 18 South (NJDOT)

There are several future projects to work on Route 18. The first is route 18 through downtown New Brunswick is being upgraded to a local/express format. The project will allow for an inner freeway and an outer connector road. The project is currently under construction and will last until at least 2009. The limits of the upgrade are from Route 27 to U.S. Route 1.^[10] The interchange with CR 527 in Old Bridge Township will provide for missing movements and a bridge replacement, as well as potential widening. The current northern terminus with Hoes Lane will be extended further north as an arterial boulevard to Interstate 287. Traffic signals will be modified and upgraded, as well as consolidated. The project will be pedestrian friendly and most likely feature bike paths that will tie into the existing ones that parallel the freeway portion. The project is currently in design and will likely see construction in 2008. The NJDOT is in planning to create a Park & Ride at the terminus of the current Route 18 freeway. It will be placed along the four lane right of way just south of Route 138. Residents are in opposition to this proposal for fear of loitering and vandalism that may accompany the parking lot.^[11]

Major junctions

Freeway (Route 9 and south)

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Monmouth	Wall Township	5.14	6B	NJ 138	First exit going north
		5.72	6C	Monmouth Boulevard	Northbound exit;Southbound enterance
		7.19	7	Marconi Road; Shark River Hills
	Neptune Township	8.28	8	NJ 33
	Ocean Township	9.84	10	NJ 66
		11.37	11A	Deal Road East
		11.50	11B	Deal Road West; Wayside
	Eatontown Township	13.46	13A	County 547; Wayside
	Tinton Falls	14.51	15A	Wayside Road North	Southbound exit also has ramp to GSP
			15B	; CR 38 Wayside Road South	Southbound exit;Northbound enterance
	Colts Neck Township	19.02	19A	NJ 34 North; Matawan
		19.27	19B	NJ 34 South; Pt.Pleasant
		22.31	22A	County 537 East; Colts Neck
		22.56	22B	County 537 West; Freehold
	Marlboro Township	25.20	25	NJ 79
		28.40	29	County 520
Middlesex	Old Bridge Township	30.35	30	US 9
Route 18 freeway disseminates into road

Route 18 (Between 9 and Turnpike)

Route 18 freeway (North of Turnpike)

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Middlesex	East Brunswick Township	39.94		New Jersey Turnpike
	New Brunswick City	40.61		US 1
		41.79		NJ 172; George Street
		42.29		NJ 27;Highland Park, Princeton
		43.18		George Street; Rutgers University
	Piscataway	43.86		CR 622; River Road
		44.80		CR 609; Metlars Lane	Final exit on Route 18
Road disseminates into Hoes Lane (End Route 18) (Northern terminus)

References

1. Route 18 straight line diagram New Jersey Department of Transportation
2. Speed Limits for Route 18 New Jersey Department of Transportation
3. Google Maps Map of Route 18
4.
5. Route 18 Straight Line Diagram - 2006 version
6. Route 18 Reconstruction Analysis - Written by students at Rutgers University
7. 1927 New Jersey Road Map
8. A Photo taken in March 1960 (larger TIFF) from [1]
9. Lettiere presents million to Wall Township for multi-use bike trail
10. Route 18 Reconstruction Overview
11. Park-and-ride proposal faces battle in Wall, ''Asbury Park Press'', November 7, 2006.

External links

★ 1964 plans for roads in the New York City area, including Route 18 and Route 35

★ Monmouth County Functional Classification Map (also shows the proposed extension of Route 18)

★ New Jersey Roadtrips - New Jersey 18 Photos