state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
located in
Atlantic County
Atlantic County is a County (United States), county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.
in the U.S. state of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. It runs , heading north from
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
at an intersection with
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
to
Brigantine
A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.
Older ...
, where it terminates at the end of the
Brigantine Bridge
The Brigantine Bridge is a vehicular bridge over Absecon Inlet in Atlantic County, New Jersey. It is located just west of the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City and the resort community of Brigantine, New Jersey, Brigantine ...
over the
Absecon Inlet Absecon Inlet is a narrow strait on the southeastern coast of New Jersey in the United States.''Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition'', pp. 3-4.
Geography
Absecon Inlet leads from the Atlantic Ocean through barrier islands in ...
, continuing as County Route 638. In Atlantic City, the route runs through the Marina District, which contains a few casinos, along Huron Avenue and Brigantine Boulevard. Here, Route 87 intersects with
Route 187
The following highways are numbered 187:
Japan
* Japan National Route 187
United States
* U.S. Route 187 (former)
* Alabama State Route 187
* Arizona State Route 187
* Arkansas Highway 187
* California State Route 187
* Colorado State Highwa ...
and the
Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe and ...
, the latter providing a limited-access route between Route 87 and the
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but unsigned, as Route 446 and abbreviated A.C. Expressway, ACE, or ACX, and known locally as the Expressway, is a long toll road in the U.S. state of New Jersey, managed and operated by t ...
. Route 87 is the only road to and from Brigantine.
What is now Route 87 was initially proposed as Route S4A in 1927, running from Tuckerton south through Brigantine to Atlantic City. The portion of this route south of Little Beach was to be built by Atlantic County; however, the state took over plans of building the road in 1938. Despite this, Route S4A was never completed between Brigantine and Little Beach, and the portion of the road that existed in Ocean County was removed from the state highway system by 1941. In 1945, Route S56 was proposed to run from Atlantic City to Brigantine along Brigantine Boulevard. Route 87 was created on its current alignment in 1953 as an unsigned route, replacing the other two routes. Previously, Route 87 split into two alignments in Atlantic City along Huron Avenue and Brigantine Boulevard; the Brigantine Boulevard alignment eventually became Route 187.
Route description
Route 87 begins at an intersection with
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
in
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
, heading to the northeast on Huron Avenue, an undivided road with two northbound lanes and three southbound lanes. Immediately after beginning, it passes under the
Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
and comes to a ramp that provides access from southbound Route 87 to the southbound connector. From here, the route widens to seven lanes, with two northbound lanes and five southbound lanes. It passes by the
Borgata
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is a hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The casino hotel features 2,798 rooms and is the largest hotel in New Jersey. Borga ...
casino, with a ramp from the casino to the northbound direction. The road becomes a four-lane
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
and passes under a ramp from the Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector to the Borgata before heading under northbound direction of the connector. Here, a ramp from the connector provides access to Route 87. A short distance later, the route comes to the northern terminus of
Route 187
The following highways are numbered 187:
Japan
* Japan National Route 187
United States
* U.S. Route 187 (former)
* Alabama State Route 187
* Arizona State Route 187
* Arkansas Highway 187
* California State Route 187
* Colorado State Highwa ...
and turns north to follow Brigantine Boulevard, which is a four-lane divided highway.
The route passes to the west of the
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
Golden Nugget Atlantic City is a hotel, casino, and marina located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Opened in 1985 as Trump's Castle, it was renamed Trump Marina in 1997. Landry's, Inc. purchased the casino from Trump Entertainment Resorts in Febr ...
casino and comes to a ramp that provides access from northbound Route 87 to both the Golden Nugget Atlantic City and
Harrah's Atlantic City
Harrah's Resort Atlantic City is a casino hotel in the marina district of Atlantic City, New Jersey, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Harrah's is one of the largest hotels in New Jersey.
The casino is one of three i ...
casinos before passing under the northbound Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector again. Immediately after, the route has a ramp from the southbound direction that provides access to the connector and westbound U.S. Route 30. The northbound Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector parallels Route 87 to the east as it turns northeast and comes to a
right-in/right-out
Right-in/right-out (RIRO) and left-in/left-out (LILO) refer to a type of three-way road intersection where turning movements of vehicles are restricted. A RIRO permits only right turns and a LILO permits only left turns. "Right-in" and "left-in" r ...
in the southbound direction that serves both Harrah's and Borgata. From here, the route passes to the southeast of Harrah's. The northbound Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector merges onto northbound Route 87 before the route comes to a ramp that provides access to the northbound direction of the route from Harrah's. Past here, the route crosses over the Absecon Channel on the Justice Vincent S. Haneman Memorial Bridge and runs along the border of Atlantic City to the northwest and
Brigantine
A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.
Older ...
to the southeast. After crossing the Absecon Channel, the route arrives on
Brigantine Island Brigantine Island (also known as Brigantine Beach Island) is an island off the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, located northeast of Atlantic City. It is long. The resort community of Brigantine is located on the island.
The island is accessi ...
and passes through wetlands, with U-turn ramps in both directions. A short distance later, Route 87 ends and County Route 638 continues along Brigantine Boulevard through Brigantine.
History
In 1927, a spur of Route 4, Route S4A, was proposed as a route running from Route 4 (now
U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...
Ocean County
Ocean County is a county located along the Jersey Shore in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Its county seat is Toms River.Little Beach.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319. In 1929, this route was to continue south through Brigantine to Atlantic City, with the portion south of Little Beach to be built by Atlantic County.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1929, Chapter 126, Page 215, Section 4. The state of New Jersey took over the proposed extension of Route S4A from Little Beach to Atlantic City in 1938.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Chapter 341, Page 852, Section 1. However, the portion of this route between Brigantine and the Atlantic/Ocean County line was never built, and the portion of road that existed in Ocean County, known as Great Bay Boulevard, was removed from the state highway system by 1941. In 1945, another route called Route S56, a spur of Route 56 (now U.S. Route 30), was proposed to run north along Brigantine Boulevard (present-day Route 187 and Route 87) from Atlantic City to Brigantine.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1945, Chapter 1, Page 11, Section 1. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 87 was designated as an unsigned route along the former alignment of Route S4A and the proposed Route S56 between U.S. Route 30 in Atlantic City and Brigantine. Following the 1953 renumbering, the southern portion of Route 87 in Atlantic City split into two alignments, with one following Huron Avenue and the other following Brigantine Boulevard. Eventually, the alignment of Route 87 along Brigantine Boulevard between U.S. Route 30 and Huron Avenue became Route 187. In 2001, the
Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
was completed, linking Route 87, the casinos in the Marina District, and Brigantine with the
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but unsigned, as Route 446 and abbreviated A.C. Expressway, ACE, or ACX, and known locally as the Expressway, is a long toll road in the U.S. state of New Jersey, managed and operated by t ...