Route 39 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 39 was a major state highway
in the southwestern portions of the U.S. state
of New Jersey
. It was fully concurrent
with U.S. Route 206
from its southern terminus at U.S. Route 30
/State Highway Route 43/State Highway Route 54 in Hammonton
to the current-day intersection with County Route 524
in Hamilton Township
. Route 39 originally continued westward, crossing the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
in the community of Wilburtha, New Jersey near State Highway Route 29.
Route 39 was designated in the 1927 1927 state highway renumbering
to a previously unnumbered highway. The route produced one spur route, Route S39, which became Route 68 in the 1953 renumbering. The Route 39 designation was removed in the 1953 renumbering
to eliminate the concurrency with US 206. It was also a proposed designation for a northern beltway around Trenton
; this beltway is now Interstate 295
and Interstate 95
.
, U.S. Route 30
, State Highway Route 43 and State Highway Route 54 in the community of Hammonton, New Jersey
. The route headed northward from this intersection concurrent entirely with U.S. Route 206. The route heads northward, entering Burlington County
sometime after intersecting with County Route 536
. The portion of Route 39 through Burlington County was entirely concurrent with U.S. Route 206, intersecting with State Highway Route 40 in the community of Southampton Township
. The route headed further, intersecting with State Highway Route 38 in Southampton Township. The route continued northward, entering the community of Mansfield Township
. The route continued along New York Avenue in the community of Columbus
, concurrent with U.S. Route 206. Route 39 continued, intersecting with State Highway Route S-39 (the Fort Dix Access Highway), its only suffixed spur in Mansfield Township.
State Highway Route 39 continued northward, intersecting with U.S. Route 130
and State Highway Route 25 in Bordentown
. The four routes (25, 39, 130 and 206) continued northward, running concurrent for less until a mile, where they forked. Routes 39 and 206 continued northward along the Mission Road before turning off and onto the straight alignment into Hamilton Township
, a community outside of Trenton
, the state capital. Crossing through Hamilton Township, Route 206 and Route 39 intersect with the eastern terminus of State Highway Route 37, where Route 39 turned off of U.S. Route 206. From there, State Highway Route 39 made a bypass of the state capital, running northward through Mercer County
until entering the community of Wilburtha, New Jersey. From there, State Highway Route 39 intersected with State Highway Route 29 in Wilburtha and approached the Delaware River
. There, it crossed the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
over the Delaware and into Yardley, Pennsylvania
.
to the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
in Wilburtha during the state highway renumbering
in 1927. Route 39 was designated along U.S. Route 206 for most of its alignment, turning off at an intersection with former State Highway Route 37 towards Wilburtha, New Jersey, where it crossed the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge, built in 1903 to replace a former wooden covered bridge
destroyed in a flood. On February 24, 1961, Route 39, concurrent with U.S. Route 206, gained a state highway prefixed-spur when State Highway Route Route S-39 along the new access highway to Fort Dix. Eventually, the proposed Scudders Falls Bridge was added into the highway's legislation, with the northern terminus to be adjusted to the new bridge instead of the Yardley-Wilburtha. In the second state highway renumbering
by the New Jersey State Highway Department in 1953, the Route 39 designation was removed in favor of U.S. Route 206. The suffixed spur, Route S-39 became New Jersey Route 68. Two alignments of 39 became Route 160
and Route 170
and are now decommissioned. The Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge was destroyed two years later during the afterstorm flooding from Hurricane Diane
in 1955. The bridge was never replaced to its full extent.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the southwestern portions of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was fully concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with U.S. Route 206
U.S. Route 206
U.S. Route 206 is a long north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delaware River into New Jersey, where it is the remainder of the route...
from its southern terminus at U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 30 is a U.S. highway running from Astoria, Oregon east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the U.S. state of New Jersey, US 30 runs from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge at the Delaware River in Camden, Camden County while concurrent with Interstate 676 southeast to Virginia...
/State Highway Route 43/State Highway Route 54 in Hammonton
Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
to the current-day intersection with County Route 524
County Route 524 (New Jersey)
County Route 524 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from the Whitehorse Circle in Hamilton Township to Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights....
in Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 88,464...
. Route 39 originally continued westward, crossing the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
The Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was a bridge spanning the Delaware River that was destroyed in 1961.-History:The first structure located at the site of the now demolished Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was built in 1835 by the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company...
in the community of Wilburtha, New Jersey near State Highway Route 29.
Route 39 was designated in the 1927 1927 state highway renumbering
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, was growing badly, as several routes shared the same number, and many unnumbered state highways had been defined...
to a previously unnumbered highway. The route produced one spur route, Route S39, which became Route 68 in the 1953 renumbering. The Route 39 designation was removed in the 1953 renumbering
1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
On January 1, 1953, the New Jersey Department of Transportation renumbered many of the State Routes. A few rules were followed in deciding what to renumber:...
to eliminate the concurrency with US 206. It was also a proposed designation for a northern beltway around Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
; this beltway is now Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Delaware-New Jersey)
Interstate 295 in New Jersey and Delaware is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, designated as a bypass around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The route begins at a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington, Delaware, and runs to another junction with I-95 north of Trenton, New Jersey...
and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in New Jersey
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway that traverses the full extent of the East Coast of the United States, from Florida to Maine...
.
Route description
State Highway Route 39 was legislatively to begin at the intersection of U.S. Route 206U.S. Route 206
U.S. Route 206 is a long north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delaware River into New Jersey, where it is the remainder of the route...
, U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
, State Highway Route 43 and State Highway Route 54 in the community of Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
. The route headed northward from this intersection concurrent entirely with U.S. Route 206. The route heads northward, entering Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
sometime after intersecting with County Route 536
County Route 536 (New Jersey)
County Route 536, abbreviated CR 536, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from the Commodore Barry Bridge crossing the Delaware River at Chester at the Pennsylvania state line and Logan Township, to U.S...
. The portion of Route 39 through Burlington County was entirely concurrent with U.S. Route 206, intersecting with State Highway Route 40 in the community of Southampton Township
Southampton Township, New Jersey
Southampton Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 10,388....
. The route headed further, intersecting with State Highway Route 38 in Southampton Township. The route continued northward, entering the community of Mansfield Township
Mansfield Township, New Jersey
Mansfield Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New Jersey:*Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey*Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey...
. The route continued along New York Avenue in the community of Columbus
Columbus, New Jersey
Columbus is an area within Mansfield Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08022.-External links:*, United States Census Bureau*...
, concurrent with U.S. Route 206. Route 39 continued, intersecting with State Highway Route S-39 (the Fort Dix Access Highway), its only suffixed spur in Mansfield Township.
State Highway Route 39 continued northward, intersecting with U.S. Route 130
U.S. Route 130
U.S. Route 130 is a north–south U.S. Highway completely within the state of New Jersey. It runs from Interstate 295 and US 40 at Deepwater in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where the road continues east as Route 49, north to US 1 in North Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, where...
and State Highway Route 25 in Bordentown
Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
. The four routes (25, 39, 130 and 206) continued northward, running concurrent for less until a mile, where they forked. Routes 39 and 206 continued northward along the Mission Road before turning off and onto the straight alignment into Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, New Jersey
Hamilton Township, New Jersey is the name of two places in the U.S. state of New Jersey:*Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey*Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey...
, a community outside of Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, the state capital. Crossing through Hamilton Township, Route 206 and Route 39 intersect with the eastern terminus of State Highway Route 37, where Route 39 turned off of U.S. Route 206. From there, State Highway Route 39 made a bypass of the state capital, running northward through Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
until entering the community of Wilburtha, New Jersey. From there, State Highway Route 39 intersected with State Highway Route 29 in Wilburtha and approached the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. There, it crossed the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
The Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was a bridge spanning the Delaware River that was destroyed in 1961.-History:The first structure located at the site of the now demolished Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was built in 1835 by the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company...
over the Delaware and into Yardley, Pennsylvania
Yardley, Pennsylvania
Yardley is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The small community of Yardley is bordered by the Delaware River and Ewing, New Jersey on the east, and by Lower Makefield Township on the north, west, and south...
.
History
State Highway Route 39 was designated on a previously unnumbered highway from HammontonHammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
to the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge
The Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was a bridge spanning the Delaware River that was destroyed in 1961.-History:The first structure located at the site of the now demolished Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge was built in 1835 by the Yardleyville-Delaware Bridge Company...
in Wilburtha during the state highway renumbering
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, was growing badly, as several routes shared the same number, and many unnumbered state highways had been defined...
in 1927. Route 39 was designated along U.S. Route 206 for most of its alignment, turning off at an intersection with former State Highway Route 37 towards Wilburtha, New Jersey, where it crossed the Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge, built in 1903 to replace a former wooden covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
destroyed in a flood. On February 24, 1961, Route 39, concurrent with U.S. Route 206, gained a state highway prefixed-spur when State Highway Route Route S-39 along the new access highway to Fort Dix. Eventually, the proposed Scudders Falls Bridge was added into the highway's legislation, with the northern terminus to be adjusted to the new bridge instead of the Yardley-Wilburtha. In the second state highway renumbering
1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
On January 1, 1953, the New Jersey Department of Transportation renumbered many of the State Routes. A few rules were followed in deciding what to renumber:...
by the New Jersey State Highway Department in 1953, the Route 39 designation was removed in favor of U.S. Route 206. The suffixed spur, Route S-39 became New Jersey Route 68. Two alignments of 39 became Route 160
New Jersey Route 160
Route 160 was a short, long state highway in Burlington County, New Jersey. The highway ran along a former alignment of New Jersey Route 39 and U.S. Route 206 called Mission Road in Bordentown Township. The route began at an intersection with U.S. Route 206, paralleling the four-lane highway to...
and Route 170
New Jersey Route 170
Route 170 was a short, long state highway in Burlington County, New Jersey. The route was a former alignment of U.S. Route 206 and New Jersey Route 39 in the downtown portions of Mansfield Township and Columbus. Route 170 began at an intersection with U.S. Route 206 in Mansfield Township, headed...
and are now decommissioned. The Yardley-Wilburtha Bridge was destroyed two years later during the afterstorm flooding from Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
in 1955. The bridge was never replaced to its full extent.