U.S. Route 206 (US 206) is a north–south

United States highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...

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 ...

and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. Only about a half a mile (800 m) of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

into New Jersey, where the remainder of the route is. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with

US 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 ...

and Route 54 in

Hammonton, New Jersey Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that has been referred to as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town's population was 14,711, a decline of 80 from the 2010 census coun ...

. The highway's northern terminus is at an intersection with

US 209 U.S. Route 209 (US 209) is a long U.S. Highway in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. Although the route is a spur of US 9, US 209 never intersects US 9, coming within five miles of the route and making the short ...

near

Milford, Pennsylvania Milford is a borough in Pike County, Pennsylvania and the county seat. Its population was 1,103 at the 2020 census. Located on the upper Delaware River, Milford is part of the New York metropolitan area. History The area along the Delaware Ri ...

; some sources and signs show an

overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * Ove ...

with US 209 to end at its parent route

US 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to ...

. For much of its length, US 206 is a rural two-lane undivided road that passes through the

Pine Barrens Pine barrens, pine plains, sand plains, or pineland areas occur throughout the U.S. from Florida to Maine (see Atlantic coastal pine barrens) as well as the Midwest, West, and Canada and parts of Eurasia. Perhaps the most well known pine-barre ...

, agricultural areas, and the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

of northwestern New Jersey, with some urban and suburban areas. The route connects several cities and towns, including Bordentown, Trenton,

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...

Somerville Somerville may refer to: *Somerville College, Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford Places *Somerville, Victoria, Australia * Somerville, Western Australia, a suburb of Kalgoorlie, Australia * Somerville, New Zealand, a subur ...

, Roxbury, Netcong, and

Newton Newton most commonly refers to: * Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist * Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton Newton may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film * Newton ( ...

. The road is known as the

Disabled American Veterans The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is an organization created in 1920 by World War I veterans for disabled military veterans of the United States Armed Forces that helps them and their families through various means. It was issued a federal ch ...

Highway for much of its length. What is now US 206 in New Jersey was designated as part of several state routes prior to 1927, including pre-1927 Route 2 between Bordentown and Trenton in 1916, pre-1927 Route 13 between Trenton and Princeton in 1917, and pre-1927 Route 16 between Princeton and Bedminster Township in 1921. The current routing along pre-1927 Route 2 became a part of US 130 in 1926. In 1927, current US 206 became Route 39 between Hammonton and

White Horse A white horse is born predominantly white and stays white throughout its life. A white horse has mostly pink skin under its hair coat, and may have brown, blue, or hazel eyes. "True white" horses, especially those that carry one of the dominant ...

, Route 37 between White Horse and Trenton,

Route 27 Route 27, or Highway 27, may refer to: Australia * Burke Developmental Road (Queensland) * Zeehan Highway (Tasmania) Canada * Alberta Highway 27 * British Columbia Highway 27 * Manitoba Highway 27 * Prince Edward Island Route 27 * Saskatchew ...

between Trenton and Princeton, Route 31 between Princeton and Newton, and Route S31 between Newton and the Delaware River. In the later 1930s, US 206 was designated to connect US 30 in Hammonton north to US 6 and US 209 in Milford; the northern terminus was moved to its current location in the 1940s. The state highways running concurrent with US 206 in New Jersey were removed in 1953. In the 1960s, two separate

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 ...

s were proposed for US 206 but never built. The first freeway was to connect Hammonton south along the Route 54 corridor toward Route 55 and the planned Route 60 in

Vineland ''Vineland'' is a 1990 novel by Thomas Pynchon, a postmodern fiction set in California, United States in 1984, the year of Ronald Reagan's reelection.Knabb 2002 Through flashbacks by its characters, who have lived the sixties in their youth, th ...

and Millville. The other US 206 freeway was planned in northwestern New Jersey, connecting

I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

in Netcong north to Montague Township. Construction began for a bypass of US 206 around Hillsborough in 2010 and was completed in 2021. The NJDOT widened the route in Byram Township to alleviate congestion, with completion in 2013.

Route description

, - , NJ , , - , PA , , -class=sortbottom , Total ,

New Jersey

Atlantic and Burlington counties

US 206 begins at

in the town of Hammonton in

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.Route 54. From its southern terminus, US 206 runs through farmland, which eventually gives way to the heavily forested

. Within this area, the route continues through the

Wharton State Forest Wharton State Forest is the largest state forest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the largest single tract of land in the state park system of New Jersey, encompassing approximately of the Pinelands northeast of Hammonton. Its protected ...

. Here, the road comes to the eastern terminus of CR 536. US 206 continues into Shamong Township, Burlington County, passing through more of the Pine Barrens. In Shamong Township, the road makes a turn to the north and passes by Atsion Lake. After running northwest, CR 541 splits to the left. After this intersection, US 206 heads north out of the Wharton State Forest and into more agricultural areas. At the intersection with CR 648, the route briefly widens into a four-lane undivided road before narrowing back to two lanes. Upon intersecting CR 622, US 206 enters Tabernacle Township. Here, CR 532 crosses the route at a signalized intersection. Following CR 532, residential development increases along the route as it continues into Southampton Township. US 206 becomes a three-lane road with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes as it comes to the

Red Lion Circle This is a list of traffic circles in New Jersey. The U.S. state of New Jersey at one point had a total of 101 traffic circles, 44 of which were part of State highway, state roads. However, the number has shrunk as traffic circles have been phas ...

with Route 70. Past the Red Lion Circle, the route becomes two lanes again and passes more rural surroundings with some development. US 206 comes to a junction with the eastern terminus of

Route 38 The following highways are numbered 38: Australia * A38 (Sydney) Canada * Alberta Highway 38 * Ontario Highway 38 (former) * Saskatchewan Highway 38 Czech Republic * I/38 Highway; Czech: Silnice I/38 Germany * Bundesautobahn 38 India * N ...

and the western terminus of CR 530. A short distance after the Route 38/CR 530 intersection, the route becomes the border between Eastampton Township to the west and Southampton Township to the east before running between Eastampton Township and

Pemberton Township Pemberton Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the township's population was 26,903, a drop of 1,009 from the 2010 census count of 27,912, which reflected a decline of 779 (� ...

. Along this portion, it passes through Ewansville. Continuing entirely into Springfield Township, the route crosses CR 537. Past this intersection, US 206 widens into a four-lane undivided road. The route briefly gains a wide painted median before crossing the Assicunk Creek into Mansfield Township In Mansfield Township, US 206 becomes a

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 ...

as it bypasses the community of

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

to the west, with CR 690 continuing through Columbus. On the bypass of Columbus, the route has an interchange with CR 543. Past Columbus, US 206 becomes undivided again, with residential development increasing. It becomes a divided highway again and merges with Route 68, the main access road to the

Fort Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force A ...

entity of

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

, at a directional intersection. After this intersection, US 206 enters Bordentown Township and reaches an interchange with 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 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

) in a commercial area. Following this interchange, the route crosses over CR 545. A short distance later, US 206 merges into US 130 at a directional interchange to form a concurrency. The two roads continue north on a six-lane divided highway, briefly entering the eastern edge of Bordentown at the intersection with CR 528. Back in Bordentown Township, US 130 and US 206 split at another directional interchange. Past US 130, US 206 crosses under

Conrail Shared Assets Operations Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CSAO) is the commonly used name for modern-day Conrail (reporting mark CRCX), an American railroad company. It operates three networks, the North Jersey, South Jersey/Philadelphia, and Detroit Shared Assets Area ...

Robbinsville Industrial Track The Robbinsville Industrial Track is a short freight line that runs between Bordentown, New Jersey to the Yardville, New Jersey, Yardville section of Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Hamilton Township, New Jersey. The line was originall ...

railroad line and heads through development as a four-lane divided highway, making a slight northwest bend before resuming north.

Mercer County

US 206 crosses the

Crosswicks Creek Crosswicks Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in Burlington County, New Jersey. Description Crosswicks Creek water ...

and enters Hamilton Township, Mercer County. Immediately after the Crosswicks Creek, there is an interchange with

I-195 Interstate 195 (I-195) is the designation for the following Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 195 (District of Columbia), a future designation for the north–south portion of I-395 from the Sout ...

. Past I-195, the route reaches the White Horse Circle, where it intersects CR 524 and CR 533. At this point, US 206 turns west-northwest to run along four-lane divided locally maintained Broad Street. Passing through

, the road briefly becomes five lanes with a

center left-turn lane A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...

before becoming a four-lane divided highway again as it crosses over

I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for several Interstate Highways in the United States: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania *Interstate 295 (Florida), a beltway around central Jacksonville *Interstate 29 ...

without an interchange. Running into more urban areas of development, the route enters Trenton at the crossing of CR 650 After entering Trenton, US 206 narrows into a two-lane undivided street. As the road heads toward downtown Trenton, it crosses

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

’s River Line immediately before interchanging with

Route 129 The following highways are numbered 129: Canada * Ontario Highway 129 * Prince Edward Island Route 129 Costa Rica * National Route 129 India * National Highway 129 (India) Japan * Japan National Route 129 United States * Interstate 129 * ...

. From here, the road turns more to the northwest with four lanes and passes by the

CURE Insurance Arena The CURE Insurance Arena is a multipurpose arena in Trenton, New Jersey. It hosts events including shows, sporting events and concerts. The arena seats 7,605 for hockey and other ice events, 8,600 for basketball and up to 10,500 for concerts, fam ...

before crossing over

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

’s

Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, a ...

and the

US 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...

freeway simultaneously. US 206 enters the commercial downtown area, narrowing back to two lanes before reaching Warren Street, where US 206 splits into a

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 ...

following Broad Street northbound and Warren Street southbound. This one–way pairing, which carries two lanes in each direction, curves north and continues through downtown Trenton. At the

Trenton Battle Monument The Trenton Battle Monument is a massive column-type structure in the Battle Monument section of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It commemorates the December 26, 1776, Battle of Trenton, a pivotal victory for the Continental ...

, the road reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of Route 31 and US 206 turns northeast onto another one-way pairing that follows Brunswick Avenue northbound and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard southbound, with each road being two-way but only carrying one direction of US 206. The road continues through neighborhoods, with southbound US 206 forming the border between Ewing Township to the northwest and Trenton to the southeast as a county-maintained road at the Calhoun Street intersection. At this point, southbound US 206 becomes concurrent with CR 583. At the junction with Spruce Street, northbound US 206 becomes the border between Lawrence Township and Trenton, becoming state-maintained, while southbound US 206/CR 583 fully crosses into Lawrence Township. Northbound US 206 widens into a four-lane divided highway as it comes to the Brunswick Circle with US 1 Business. At this point, US 1 Business continues northeast on Brunswick Pike while northbound US 206 heads north as a two-lane undivided road called Lawrence Road. CR 645 links the Brunswick Circle to southbound US 206/CR 583. At this point, both directions of US 206 are in Lawrence Township and rejoin, with US 206 continuing north as a two-lane undivided road and CR 583 heading to the northeast. US 206 continues through suburban residential areas within Lawrence Township. The route makes a turn to the northeast before heading north again and passing to the east of

Rider University Rider University is a private university in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. It consists of four academic units: the Norm Brodsky College of Business, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Human Services, and West ...

. A short distance later, the road has a cloverleaf interchange with I-295 prior to an intersection with CR 546. In this area, US 206 is briefly a two-lane divided highway. Past CR 546, the route becomes two-lane undivided Main Street and heads north-northeast through Lawrenceville, passing development and the mile-long campus of

The Lawrenceville School The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational preparatory school for boarding and day students located in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Lawrenceville is a member of the Eight Schoo ...

. Upon leaving Lawrenceville, US 206 turns more to the east through rural surroundings, forming a short concurrency with CR 569. From this point, the route continues northeast and enters

. In Princeton, CR 533 intersects US 206, and the two routes form a concurrency. The road becomes Stockton Street, passing by the

Drumthwacket Drumthwacket ( ) is the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. The mansion sits at 354 Stockton Street in Princeton, near the state capital of Trenton. It is one of only four official governor's residences in the country not locat ...

Governor's mansion. US 206 turns north onto Bayard Lane, with

continuing northeast into downtown Princeton on Nassau Street, which provides access to

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

through Princeton Downtown. The stretch from Lawrenceville until the intersection with Nassau Street in Princeton is part of the King's Highway Historic District. Bayard Lane carries the route past more wooded developed areas, eventually curving northeast through a park. Here, US 206 becomes State Road and turns north again. Continuing to the north, the amount of development adjacent to the road decreases.

Somerset County

US 206 enters Montgomery Township in Somerset County, where the name of the road becomes Van Horne Memorial Highway. In Montgomery Township, the route runs to the east of Princeton Airport and crosses CR 518. Following this intersection, CR 533 splits from US 206 by heading northeast, and US 206 continues north-northwest through a mix of suburban and rural areas. The road passes through the community of Harlingen before widening to four lanes and reaching Belle Mead, New Jersey, Belle Mead. In this area, US 206 passes over CSX’s Trenton Subdivision (CSX Transportation), Trenton Subdivision before making a turn to the northeast and then to the north, narrowing back to two lanes. The road enters Hillsborough Township, New Jersey, Hillsborough Township, where the Van Horne Memorial Highway designation ends. US 206 intersects US 206 Bypass at its southern end and Mountain View Road. The road continues into residential and commercial areas of Hillsborough. It comes to a junction with County Route 514 (New Jersey), CR 514 in this area. Past the CR 514 intersection, US 206 makes a curve northeast before heading east to intersect the northern end of US 206 Bypass before heading north. Leaving the center of Hillsborough, the road runs northeast past more wooded areas as it crosses under Norfolk Southern's Lehigh Line (Norfolk Southern), Lehigh Line. The route passes more development as it widens into a four lane divided highway with jughandles, turning to the north and passing Duke Gardens (New Jersey), Duke Gardens. US 206 briefly becomes six lanes wide at the County Route 608 (Somerset County, New Jersey), CR 608 intersection before narrowing back to four lanes as it crosses the Raritan River into

. In Somerville, the road runs northwest parallel to the Raritan River prior to turning north into commercial areas and entering Raritan, New Jersey, Raritan. US 206 runs under NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line before making a turn to the north-northwest. US 206 comes to the modified Somerville Circle, where it meets U.S. Route 202 in New Jersey, US 202 and New Jersey Route 28, Route 28. At this modified traffic circle, US 206 and Route 28 run through it while US 202 passes over it with ramp access. US 206 forms a concurrency with US 202 at this point and the two routes continue north into Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, Bridgewater Township, briefly entering Somerville. The road features an interchange with U.S. Route 22 in New Jersey, US 22 and heads north with the Bridgewater Commons shopping mall on the east side of the road and the Somerset Corporate Center on the west side of the road. An interchange with Commons Way provides access to both these places. Past Commons Way, the road passes under Garrettson Road and comes to an interchange with Interstate 287, I-287 that also provides access to Interstate 78 in New Jersey, I-78. Past the I-287 interchange, US 202/206 continue north as a two-lane undivided road past suburban areas. The road crosses Chambers Brook into Bedminster Township, where it soon passes under I-78. Shortly after I-78, it widens into a four-lane divided highway with a Jersey barrier. US 202/206 come to another interchange with I-287, pass over the North Branch Raritan River, and come to an intersection where the two routes split. After the US 202 split, US 206 continues north as a four-lane divided highway through commercial areas, with the grass median becoming replaced by a painted median as it comes to a junction with County Route 523 (New Jersey), CR 523 in downtown Bedminster. Following this intersection, the route narrows into a two-lane undivided road that runs through less development. US 206 enters Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey, Peapack-Gladstone, where it runs a short distance to the west of NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch. In Peapack-Gladstone, the road briefly becomes a four-lane divided highway as it has a trumpet interchange with Pfizer Way, a road that provides access to a Pfizer facility. Past this point, US 206 becomes a two-lane undivided road that runs northwest through rural areas, with County Route 512 (New Jersey), CR 512 crossing the road. Just after this intersection, the route enters Bedminster Township again, turning to the north.

Morris County

The route continues north into Chester Township, New Jersey, Chester Township, Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County. In Chester Township, US 206 passes through forested areas, with the northbound direction briefly gaining a second lane. As the road comes into Chester Borough, New Jersey, Chester Borough, it widens to four lanes and passes shopping areas including the Streets of Chester. In the center of Chester, the route crosses County Route 513 (New Jersey), CR 513. Past this intersection, US 206 continues into woodland development, with the northbound direction narrowing back into one lane as the route heads back into Chester Township. The road narrows back to two total lanes as it enters more rural surroundings, coming into Mount Olive Township, New Jersey, Mount Olive Township. Further north, residential development near the road starts to increase. As US 206 reaches an intersection with CR 613, the surroundings becomes commercial before the route passes under Dover and Rockaway River Railroad's High Bridge Branch. After this area, the road turns north-northeast and runs through forested areas as a three lane road with two northbound lanes and one southbound lane, eventually entering Roxbury Township, New Jersey, Roxbury Township. Business in the area of the road increase before US 206 widens to four total lanes and comes to a modified cloverleaf interchange with

and the southern terminus of New Jersey Route 183, Route 183. At this point, the road continues north into Netcong as Route 183 while US 206 heads west along I-80, a six-lane freeway that continues into Mount Olive Township. The freeway continues northwest, running through a small corner of Netcong before coming back into Mount Olive Township and interchanging with U.S. Route 46, US 46. Immediately after US 46, the highway passes over NJ Transit's Morristown Line/Montclair-Boonton Line before turning north and reaching a trumpet interchange where US 206 splits from I-80. Following this split, US 206 is a four-lane freeway that heads northeast, crossing under Waterloo Valley Road and an abandoned railroad line before coming to an interchange with International Drive.

Sussex County

After the International Drive interchange, US 206 crosses the Musconetcong River and enters Stanhope, New Jersey, Stanhope, Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County. Immediately following the river crossing, the freeway merges with the northern terminus of Route 183 at an interchange on the border between Byram Township to the west and Stanhope to the east. Past Route 183, US 206 continues north as a four-lane divided surface road past development, fully entering Stanhope again before crossing into Byram Township. Upon entering Byram Township, the route becomes a two-lane undivided road. Upon turning northwest, the surroundings become more forested as US 206 crosses a mountain, with the northbound direction gaining a second lane for a distance. There are a few businesses along the road as it runs north past wooded areas near Cranberry Lake and Panther Lake. The route continues into Andover, New Jersey, Andover, where it becomes Main Street and passes under the abandoned Lackawanna Cut-Off. US 206 forms a brief concurrency with County Route 517 (New Jersey), CR 517 in the commercial downtown area. Past CR 517, US 206 bends northwest and enters Andover Township, New Jersey, Andover Township. Here, the road runs back into forested areas, passing by Whites Pond and running near Kittatinny Valley State Park. After a curve to the north, the route enters a mix of development and rural areas, passing to the west of Newton Airport (New Jersey), Newton Airport prior to entering

. In Newton, the road is known as Main Street and is lined by homes as it turns north. Upon reaching the downtown area, US 206 meets New Jersey Route 94, Route 94 and County Route 519 (New Jersey), CR 519 at the Park Place square. At this point, US 206 forms a concurrency with Route 94/CR 519, and all three routes run concurrent north on four-lane undivided Water Street for a short distance. CR 519 splits from the road by turning north on Mill Street while US 206 and Route 94 continue north as a three-lane road with a

, crossing Paulins Kill before coming to a shopping district as the road leaves Newton for Hampton Township, New Jersey, Hampton Township. The road narrows back to two lanes and heads into areas of farmland, becoming Hampton House Road. Route 94 splits from US 206 by making a right turn to continue east. After this intersection, US 206 turns northeast and enters Frankford Township, New Jersey, Frankford Township. After crossing the Paulins Kill, New Jersey Route 15, Route 15 and County Route 565 (New Jersey), CR 565 end at a traffic light with US 206, with the route making a turn to the northwest on an unnamed road. US 206-CR 521 in Sandyston Township

After this intersection, the route passes near Skylands Stadium before passing more farmland and reaching the community of Augusta, New Jersey, Augusta. After Augusta, US 206 turns north-northwest through more rural areas before entering Branchville, New Jersey, Branchville. Here, the route bypasses the center of town to the south as a four-lane divided highway before crossing CR 519. Past CR 519, the median ends and US 206 continues to the west-northwest. After crossing back into Frankford Township, the route continues through forested areas. Turning more to the north, US 206 runs a short distance to the west of Culver's Lake prior to intersecting County Route 521 (New Jersey), CR 521 and forming a concurrency with that route. The concurrent US 206 and CR 521 heads into Sandyston Township, New Jersey, Sandyston Township, where it crosses the Appalachian Trail at Culvers Gap in Kittatinny Mountain and passes through the mountainous Stokes State Forest. After heading north with a three-lane stretch that has two southbound lanes and one northbound lane, the two-lane road reaches a junction with County Route 560 (New Jersey), CR 560. After this intersection, the road leaves the state forest and continues through wooded areas with some commercial establishments. US 206/CR 521 reaches the community of Hainesville, New Jersey, Hainesville, where it passes through more agricultural surroundings with some development. Leaving Hainesville, the road continues into Montague Township. Near the community of Montague, CR 521 splits from US 206 by heading to the northeast. Meanwhile, US 206 turns to the northwest to run through wooded areas of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, where it comes to the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge over the

that is maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

Pennsylvania

After crossing the river on the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge, US 206 continues north into Dingman Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania, Dingman Township in Pike County, Pennsylvania. A short distance after the bridge, the route comes to a northbound toll plaza, where it becomes a two-lane divided highway. US 206 officially ends at an intersection with U.S. Route 209 in Pennsylvania, US 209 not far after the toll plaza for the bridge. Even though this intersection marks the end of US 206, a few signs show the route heading concurrent with US 209 to continue north to

in Milford, Pennsylvania, Milford.

History

What is now US 206 was part of several Lenape trails: the Shamong Trail, later known as the Cape May Road, ran from what is now Crosswicks to Cape May; a trail running from Trenton through Crosswicks; the Assanpink Trail, later known as the Old Dutch Road, running from Trenton north to New Brunswick; and the Great Minisink Trail, running from Navesink through Netcong to Minisink Village in modern-day Montague Township. In 1801, the Morris Turnpike was legislated to run from Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth through Netcong to Kittatinny Mountain, Culver's Gap. In 1804, the Union Turnpike was chartered to run from Morristown to the crossing at Dingman's Ferry in Montague Township. In 1814, the Deckertown and Newton Turnpike, Deckerton and Newton Turnpike branched from Newton through Deckerton, now Sussex, to New York. The Crosswicks and Trenton Turnpike was chartered in 1854; the road is now locally known as Broad Street, and was included in U.S. 206 west of White Horse. Prior to 1927, what is now US 206 in New Jersey was legislated as part of several routes. Between Bordentown and Trenton, the current alignment was designated as a part of pre-1927 Route 2 in 1916. Between Trenton and Princeton, present-day US 206 became the southernmost part of pre-1927 Route 13 in 1917. In 1921, the current route from Princeton north to Bedminster Township was legislated as part of pre-1927 Route 16. NJ 31 (cutout)

After the U.S. Highway System was created in 1926, the route between Bordentown and Trenton became the northernmost part of US 130 while it became a part of US 1 between Trenton and Princeton. In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering, several state highways were legislated along present-day US 206. Route 39 followed the route from Hammonton to White Horse, while Route 37 was designated along it between White Horse and Trenton. From Trenton north to Princeton, pre-1927 Route 13 was replaced by Route 27. Present-day US 206 between Princeton and Newton became part of Route 31, a route that was to go past Newton to the New York border near Unionville, Orange County, New York, Unionville, while the portion north of Newton to the Delaware River in Montague became Route S31, a spur of Route 31.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319. Another spur of Route 31, New Jersey Route 31A, Route 31A, was legislated in 1941 to run from Route 31 in Princeton to New Jersey Route 33, Route 33 in Hightstown, New Jersey, Hightstown; only a small portion of this was built over the Northeast Corridor railroad line and is now New Jersey Route 64, Route 64.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1941, Chapter 105. NJ S31 (cutout)

US 206 was designated in the later 1930s, running from US 30 in Hammonton, New Jersey, north to US 6 and US 209 in Milford, Pennsylvania. By this time, the US 1 and US 130 designations were removed from the route onto new alignments. In 1938, US 206/Route 31 was designated to bypass Somerville, the former alignment was known as New Jersey Route 177, Route 177 from the 1960s until 1974.State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Section 1 In the 1940s, US 206/Route 39 was realigned to the south of White Horse; the former alignment was known as New Jersey Route 160, Route 160 between the 1960s and the 1980s. Also in the 1940s, the northern terminus of US 206 was moved to its current location at US 209 in Dingman Township, Pennsylvania. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, the state highways running concurrent with US 206 were removed. When US 206's current alignment bypassing Columbus was built by the 1960s, the designation of New Jersey Route 170, Route 170 was given to the old alignment through Columbus; this road was turned over to Burlington County in the 1980s and is now CR 690. In the late 1960s, a

was proposed for the US 206/Route 54 corridor, running from US 30 in Hammonton south to Route 55 and the proposed Route 60 near

and Millville. Originally, a parkway had been planned in 1932 to serve the US 206 corridor between Hammonton and Trenton, but never materialized. The freeway between Vineland/Millville and Hammonton was to cost $47 million and was intended to provide a better route between the two areas than the existing two-lane roads. However, it was never built due to environmental and financial issues. A freeway was also proposed for US 206 in northwestern New Jersey during the 1960s. In 1964, a Route 94 freeway was planned to follow US 206 between Netcong and Newton on its way to the proposed New Jersey Route 23, Route 23 freeway in Hamburg, New Jersey, Hamburg. The Tri-State Transportation Commission proposed a longer US 206 freeway that was to connect I-78 and I-287 in Bedminster Township north to Newton, incorporating the southern portion of the Route 94 proposal. This freeway was intended to relieve traffic on existing roads and provide access to recreation areas. By the late 1960s, the US 206 freeway would be planned by the NJDOT to connect I-80 in Netcong north to Montague. This freeway was proposed to provide access to proposed national recreation area along the Delaware River that would have been built in conjunction with the Tocks Island Dam Controversy, controversial Tocks Island Dam project as well as alleviating traffic on the existing road. However, like the US 206 freeway proposal in southern New Jersey, it was not built yet. Since 1974, a bypass has been planned for the congested part of US 206 through Hillsborough. In 2002, the NJDOT modified plans for the bypass. The bypass is to be mostly four lanes wide and run to the east of Hillsborough, with the southernmost portion only being two lanes; one interchange was planned with CR 514. The road is to meet a Smart Growth goal by preserving land and eliminating two planned interchanges that would have increased congestion. In July 2009, it was announced that construction of the US 206 Hillsborough bypass, which is projected to cost $148 million, would start in 2010. On June 24, 2010, a contract was given to Carbro Constructors Corporation to build the first phase between CR 514 and Hillsborough Road. Construction on this portion, planned to cost $43 million, began on August 18, 2010, and opened on October 28, 2013. This section is currently designated US 206 Bypass. In early 2015, work on grading and utility relocation for the ends of the bypass was slated to be completed. Work on constructing the northern and southern ends of the US 206 bypass of Hillsborough was originally planned to begin in early 2017. On April 13, 2018, construction began on the final phase to build the northern and southern ends of the bypass. The final phase of the Hillsborough bypass, which is projected to cost $36.6 million and be funded through state and federal money, opened on June 5, 2021. The Hillsborough Bypass is named for Peter J. Biondi, a former New Jersey General Assembly, Assemblyman and Hillsborough mayor who died in 2011. US 206 was widened in Byram Township to six lanes. This construction follows a decade of controversy, including concerns that the widening would violate the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act passed in 2004; an exemption to this act allowed the construction to proceed. The widening was done in order to eliminate backups on the previous two-lane stretch during rush hours. The project was slated to be finished in November 2013. The NJDOT is planning on widening the route in Hillsborough to four lanes and adding a concrete median from Doctors Way to Brown Avenue, where the four lane highway south of the Raritan River ends. This will replace the railroad overpass that is primarily blocking the widening project. The first half, from Doctors Way to Valley Road, will start in the summer of 2020 and is anticipated to be completed by fall 2022. The second half, from Valley Road to Brown Avenue will take place in 2022 and take 2 years to complete.

Major intersections

Special routes

U.S. Route 206 Bypass (US 206 Byp.) is the designation for the Peter J. Biondi Bypass, a bypass of the section of US 206 through Hillsborough Township in Somerset County. The road begins at an at-grade intersection with US 206 and Mountain View Road and heads north as a two-lane divided road. First crossing over Trenton Subdivision (CSX Transportation), CSX's Trenton Subdivision, it curves to the north and comes to a signalized intersection with Hillsborough Road. Continuing north, the bypass passes through farmland and woodland with some nearby development, coming to bridges over Homestead Road and the Trenton Subdivision. The next intersection is a quadrant interchange with County Route 514 (New Jersey), CR 514. The connector road to CR 514 is named Service Road though a direct ramp from CR 514 westbound to US 206 Byp. northbound exists. From here, the road becomes four lanes wide with a concrete barrier separating the carriageways. After passing under Hamilton Road, the bypass ends at a signalized intersection with US 206, which continues north. The first section of US 206 Byp., in length and running from Hillsborough Road to CR 514, opened on October 28, 2013. The full bypass opened on June 5, 2021. ;Major intersections

References

External links

New Jersey Roads - US 206

New Jersey Roads - US 206 Photos

Pennsylvania Roads - US 206

US 206 in New Jersey at AARoads.com

Somerset County Functional Classification Map

Speed Limits for New Jersey State Roads: U.S. Route 206 in New JerseyAn enlarged view of road jurisdiction in Trenton at the confluence of US 1, US 206, NJ 29, NJ 33 and NJ 129

An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of I-80, US 46, US 206 and NJ 183 in and near Roxbury Township

An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of US 206, NJ 94 and CR 519 in Newton
{{DEFAULTSORT:U.S. Route 206 United States Numbered Highway System, 06-2 U.S. Highways in New Jersey, 06-2 U.S. Highways in Pennsylvania, 06-2 U.S. Route 6, 2 Transportation in Atlantic County, New Jersey Transportation in Burlington County, New Jersey, 206 Transportation in Mercer County, New Jersey Transportation in Somerset County, New Jersey Transportation in Morris County, New Jersey Transportation in the Pine Barrens (New Jersey) Transportation in Sussex County, New Jersey Transportation in Pike County, Pennsylvania Lincoln Highway Limited-access roads in New Jersey