Route 440 is a
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 ...
in
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 ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It comprises two segments, a
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
in
Middlesex County linking
Interstate 287 (I-287) and the
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...
(
I-95), in
Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These invention ...
to the
Outerbridge Crossing in
Perth Amboy and a four-lane divided highway in
Hudson County running from the
Bayonne Bridge in
Bayonne
Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...
to
U.S. Route 1/9 Truck (US 1-9 Truck) in
Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.[New York State Route 440
New York State Route 440 (NY 440) is a state highway located entirely on Staten Island in New York City. The route acts as a connector between the two segments of New Jersey Route 440, running from the Staten Island community of R ...]
(NY 440), which runs across
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
. The freeway portion in Middlesex County is six lanes wide and interchanges with the
Garden State Parkway and
US 9 in
Woodbridge Woodbridge may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Woodbridge, Western Australia formerly called ''West Midland''
*Woodbridge, Tasmania
Canada
*Woodbridge, Ontario
England
*Woodbridge, Suffolk, the location of
** Woodbridge (UK Parliament constituency ...
.
What is now Route 440 was designated as two different routes in 1927: the Middlesex County portion between
Route 4
Route 4, or Highway 4, may refer to several highways in the following countries:
International
* AH4, Asian Highway 4
* European route E04
* European route E004
* Cairo – Cape Town Highway
Albania
* SH-4 road in Albania from Durres to Kakav ...
(now Route 35) and the proposed Outerbridge Crossing was designated Route S4 (a spur of Route 4) while the Hudson County portion was designated as a part of
Route 1. In 1953, Route 440 replaced Route S4 as well as Route 1 south of Communipaw Avenue; the number was chosen to match NY 440. A freeway was built for the route in Middlesex County between 1967 and finished in 1972. A freeway was also proposed for the route in Hudson County to fill in the gap between the Bayonne Bridge and 63rd Street; however, it was never built. In 2001, Route 440 replaced Route 169 along the Bayonne waterfront.
Route description
Middlesex County
The Route 440
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
begins in
Edison Township at an interchange with the southern terminus of
Interstate 287 and the
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...
(
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
); from Route 440's southern terminus, the road becomes northbound Interstate 287. Within this interchange, Route 440 also has access to
County Route 514.
It continues to the east as a six-lane road through wooded surroundings and enters
Woodbridge Township at the underpass of King Georges Post Road. Here, the route interchanges with County Route 656 (Smith Street) before intersecting the
Garden State Parkway and
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 ...
at a large interchange. Within this interchange, the route passes under
Conrail Shared Assets Operations' (CSAO) Raritan Industrial Track line.
From here, the freeway turns northeast and passes under CSAO's Perth Amboy Running Track line before it enters
Perth Amboy at the point where it crosses under County Route 616 (New Brunswick Avenue).
Route 440 passes near homes before coming to the next interchange for
County Route 501 and
Route 184.
[ At this point, County Route 501 joins the Route 440 freeway for a ]concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
, and the road comes to an interchange with Route 35 a short distance later. The road continues east-southeast, with an exit for County Route 653 (Amboy Avenue) before it passes through more residential neighborhoods.[ The final exit on the Middlesex County portion of Route 440 serves County Route 611 (State Street).] Past this interchange, Route 440 becomes the Outerbridge Crossing, a four-lane bridge maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, PANYNJ; stylized, in logo since 2020, as Port Authority NY NJ, is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorized ...
(PANYNJ). It passes over NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line and State Street before crossing over the Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It is a major navigational channel of the Port of ...
onto Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
. At the New Jersey-New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
state line on the middle of the bridge, the southern segments of Route 440 and County Route 501 end and become New York State Route 440
New York State Route 440 (NY 440) is a state highway located entirely on Staten Island in New York City. The route acts as a connector between the two segments of New Jersey Route 440, running from the Staten Island community of R ...
.[ An extension of Route 440 also intersects with Route 35 right after the Victory Bridge crossing in Perth Amboy (around Shoprite)
]
Hudson County
After New York State Route 440 runs through Staten Island, it enters New Jersey again via the Bayonne Bridge, a four-lane bridge over Kill Van Kull
__NOTOC__
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. It is approximately long and wide and connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the ...
that is also maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Upon entering Bayonne
Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...
in Hudson County, the road becomes the northern segment of Route 440 and County Route 501 and continues north into residential sections of the city.[ After widening into a divided highway maintained by the ]New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...
(NJDOT), County Route 501 splits from the route by heading north on Kennedy Boulevard at an interchange. Meanwhile, Route 440 turns to the east, with CSAO's Avenue A Industrial Track and NJ Transit's Hudson–Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit (NJT) and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, ...
line parallel to the north, before heading northeast and passing through industrial areas as a surface road, crossing under a CSAO railroad line. It heads north-northeast as it passes between neighborhoods and the parallel CSAO Bayonne Industrial Track and NJ Transit's Hudson–Bergen Light Rail lines to the west and port areas to the east, including the former Military Ocean Terminal Military Ocean Terminals are operated by the U.S. Army Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) for distribution of surface cargo from storage and repair depots to military forward based units.
Current facilities
* Military Ocean Terminal ...
.[
The route crosses into ]Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.[Newark Bay
Newark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, t ...]
Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 78
Interstate 78 (I-78) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Northeastern United States, running from I-81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown to western and northern New Jersey and terminating at the Holland Tunn ...
) that provides access to the Jersey City and Hoboken waterfronts and the Holland Tunnel. Following this, Route 440 reaches an interchange with Route 185. Here, the mainline becomes Route 185 and Route 440 exits onto another four-lane divided highway.[ From here, Route 440 continues northwest, crossing under Interstate 78 and passing over CSAO's Bayonne Industrial Track and NJ Transit's Hudson–Bergen Light Rail lines before closely paralleling the north side of Interstate 78 and the south side of CSAO's ]National Docks Branch
National Docks Secondary is a freight rail line within Conrail's North Jersey Shared Assets Area in Hudson County, New Jersey, used by CSX Transportation. It provides access for the national rail network to maritime, industrial, and distributio ...
line. The route interchanges with Avenue C before becoming an undivided road that reenters Bayonne and crossing over County Route 501 (Kennedy Boulevard) without an interchange. Past this intersection, Route 440 makes a sharp turn to the south and passes under the Newark Bay Bridge
The Newark Bay Bridge, officially the Vincent R. Casciano Memorial Bridge, is a steel through arch bridge that is continuous across three spans. It crosses Newark Bay and connects the cities of Newark (in Essex County) and Bayonne (in Hudson Cou ...
(Interstate 78). After making a hairpin turn
A hairpin turn (also hairpin bend or hairpin corner) is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn about 180° to continue on the road. It is named for its resemblance to a bent metal hai ...
back to the north, it passes under the Newark Bay Bridge another time and runs along the eastern shore of Newark Bay, crossing under CSAO's National Docks Branch line. The route interchanges with West 63rd Street before crossing back into Jersey City and passing residences to the east. It intersects County Route 602 (Danforth Avenue) as the road heads into business sectors farther to the east of Newark Bay. The road heads past industrial establishments before running through commercial areas again, passing to the east of the Hudson Mall.[ Route 440 ends at an intersection with U.S. Route 1/9 Truck and County Route 612 (Communipaw Avenue), where the road continues north as part of U.S. Route 1/9 Truck.]
History
In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering
In 1927, New Jersey's state highways were renumbered. The old system, which had been defined in sequence by the legislature since 1916, was growing badly, as several routes shared the same number, and many unnumbered state highways had been d ...
, what is now Route 440 was defined as two separate routes. The Middlesex County portion from Route 4
Route 4, or Highway 4, may refer to several highways in the following countries:
International
* AH4, Asian Highway 4
* European route E04
* European route E004
* Cairo – Cape Town Highway
Albania
* SH-4 road in Albania from Durres to Kakav ...
(now Route 35) to the present location of the Outerbridge Crossing was legislated as Route S4, a spur of Route 4. Meanwhile, the Hudson County portion of the route was legislated as a part of Route 1, a route that was to run from Bayonne to the New York border in Rockleigh.[State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.] Route S4 was eventually extended west to the Garden State Parkway. This route followed Pfeiffer Boulevard and the one-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities.
Descriptio ...
of Lawrence Avenue and Grove Street. Meanwhile, Route 1 only existed as a state-maintained highway north of 63rd Street in Bayonne; south of there, traffic used Hudson Boulevard to access the Bayonne Bridge. A road carrying Route 1 was proposed to be built on landfill in the Passaic River
Passaic River ( ) is a river, approximately long, in Northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey, ...
; however, it was never constructed. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
On January 1, 1953, the New Jersey Highway Department renumbered many of the State Routes. This renumbering was first proposed in 1951 in order to reduce confusion to motorists. A few rules were followed in deciding what to renumber:
*No state ro ...
, both Route S4 between the Garden State Parkway and the Outerbridge Crossing as well as Route 1 between 63rd Street and Communipaw Avenue became Route 440 in order to match New York State Route 440.
In 1959, an additional piece of Route 440 was legislated to run from the Bayonne Bridge to 63rd Street to complete the route, running over the waters of the Newark Bay; this was never built.[State of New Jersey, Laws of 1959, Chapter 57.] In the mid-1950s, a freeway alignment was proposed for Route 440 in Middlesex County. This route, to be called the Middlesex Freeway, was to connect the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 287 to the Outerbridge Crossing. Construction began on the freeway in 1967 and it was completed in 1974. The old alignment of Route 440 along Pfeiffer Boulevard between the Garden State Parkway and Route 35 became Route 184. A freeway was also proposed in the 1960s for Route 440 in Hudson County connecting the Bayonne Bridge to Interstate 78 and filling in the gap in the route. In 1976, Route 440 was proposed along with Route 169 in a plan to redevelop the waterfront area of Bayonne. However, the NJDOT shelved the project a year later due to low traffic volumes and feared environmental impact to the Newark Bay. Route 169 was later constructed as a four-lane arterial completed in 1992. In 2001, Route 169 was redesignated as Route 440 in order to complete the gap in the route.
On January 8, 2008, Gov. Jon Corzine announced plans for a new 35-cent toll on the Middlesex County portion of Route 440, in addition to increases on existing toll roads, to help raise funds to reduce New Jersey's outstanding debt. However, he dropped the idea to toll Route 440 a month later after mounting opposition to the idea.[
Between 2015 and 2018 the New Jersey Turnpike Authority reconstructed Exit 14A between Interstate 78 and Route 440. Construction began in 2017 to replace the overpass carrying Route 440 over the Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 and it was completed in 2019.
In anticipation of a general increase of activity in ]Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the port district of the New York-Newark metropolitan area, encompassing the region within approximately a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
It includes the system of navigable water ...
and new development on West Side
West Side or Westside may refer to:
Places Canada
* West Side, a neighbourhood of Windsor, Ontario
* West Side, a neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia
United Kingdom
* West Side, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
* Westside, Birmingham E ...
and Hackensack Riverfront The West Side of Jersey City is an area made up of several diverse neighborhoods on either side of West Side Avenue, one of the city's main shopping streets. Parallel and west of Kennedy Boulevard, West Side Avenue carries two county route designa ...
in Jersey City studies are being conducted to transform the roadway into a multi-use urban boulevard that includes possible grade separations, medians, and a new traffic circle
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection (road), intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The N ...
at its northern terminus.
By Joint Resolution No. 4, approved July 3, 1997, the New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
designated the portion of Route 440 in the city of Perth Amboy as the Edward J. Patten Memorial Highway. Democrat Edward J. Patten
Edward James Patten (August 22, 1905 – September 17, 1994) was an American lawyer and politician. Patten, a Democrat, represented the now-redistricted New Jersey's 15th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for ...
, a former Mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, later served as Secretary of State of New Jersey and represented New Jersey's 15th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
.[State of New Jersey; ''Laws of 1997, Joint Resolution No. 4'']
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
External links
An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of I-95, I-287 and NJ 440 near Edison
An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of US 9 and NJ 440 near Woodbridge Township
NJ 440 Freeway on nycroads.com
New Jersey Roads: Route 440
{{good article
440
Year 440 (CDXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valentinianus and Anatolius (or, less frequently, year 1193 ''Ab urbe ...
Transportation in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Transportation in Hudson County, New Jersey
Limited-access roads in New Jersey
Freeways in the United States
Transportation in Jersey City, New Jersey