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Route 440 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 440 is a state highway
in New Jersey
, United States
. It is composed of two segments, a 5.15 miles (8.29 km) freeway in Middlesex County
linking Interstate 287
and the New Jersey Turnpike
(Interstate 95
) in Edison
to the Outerbridge Crossing
in Perth Amboy
and a 8.18 miles (13.16 km) four-lane divided highway in Hudson County
running from the Bayonne Bridge
in Bayonne
to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck in Jersey City
. These two segments are connected by New York State Route 440
, which runs across Staten Island
. The freeway portion in Middlesex County is six lanes wide and interchanges with the Garden State Parkway
and U.S. Route 9 in Woodbridge.
What is now Route 440 was designated as two different routes in 1927: the Middlesex County portion between Route 4 (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.
at an interchange with the southern terminus of Interstate 287
and the New Jersey Turnpike
(Interstate 95
); 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 at a large interchange. From here, the freeway turns northeast and 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
, 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
. It passes over New Jersey Transit
’s North Jersey Coast Line
and State Street before crossing over the Arthur Kill
onto Staten Island
. At the New Jersey-New York
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
.
, a four-lane undivided bridge over Kill Van Kull
that is also maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Upon entering Bayonne
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 NJDOT, County Route 501 splits from the route by heading north on Kennedy Boulevard at an interchange. Meanwhile, Route 440 turns to the east before heading northeast and passing through industrial areas as a surface road. It heads north-northeast as it passes between neighborhoods and New Jersey Transit’s Hudson–Bergen Light Rail to the west and port areas to the east, including the former Military Ocean Terminal
.
The route crosses into Jersey City
, where it comes to an interchange with Route 185
. Here, the mainline becomes Route 185 and Route 440 exits onto another four-lane divided highway, coming to an interchange with the Newark Bay
Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 78
) that provides access to the Jersey City and Hoboken
waterfronts and the Holland Tunnel
. From here, Route 440 continues northwest, closely paralleling the north side of Interstate 78. 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
(Interstate 78). After making a hairpin turn
back to the north, it passes under the Newark Bay Bridge another time and runs along the eastern shore of Newark Bay. 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.
, what is now Route 440 was defined as two separate routes. The Middlesex County portion from Route 4 (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
. Route S4 was eventually extended west to the Garden State Parkway. This route followed Pfeiffer Boulevard and the one-way pair
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
; however, it was never constructed. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
, 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. 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 1972. 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.
In anticipation of a general increase of activity in Port of New York and New Jersey
and new development on West Side
and Hackensack Riverront
in Jersey City studies are being conducted to transform the roadway into a multi-use urban boulevard that includes possible grade separations, meridians, a new traffic circle
at its northern terminus.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=14|Middlesex
|rowspan=2|Edison
|0.00
|
|Continuation beyond I-95
|-
|0.33
|
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Woodbridge
|1.46
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.01
|
|
|-
|2.05
|
|
|-
|2.05
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.27
|
|-
|2.27
|
|Northbound exit only
|-
|rowspan=2|2.66
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=5|Perth Amboy
|-
|3.41
|
|Southbound exit to NJ 35 north is via Amboy Avenue exit, south end of CR 501 overlap
|-
|3.68
|
|Northbound exit is via NJ 35 exit
|-
|4.26
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|5.15
|colspan=2 align="center"|Outerbridge Crossing
over Arthur Kill
|-
|colspan=5 align="center"|See NY 440
|-
|rowspan=9|Hudson
|rowspan=4|Bayonne
|18.00
|colspan=2 align="center"|Bayonne Bridge
over Kill van Kull
|-
|18.89
|Avenue A
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|18.91
|
|No southbound exit, north end of CR 501 overlap
|-
|colspan=3 align="center"|North end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=5|Jersey City
|21.99
|
|Interchange
|-
|22.22
|
|Interchange
|-
|22.96
|Avenue C, Garfield Avenue
|Interchange
|-
|24.84
|
|
|-
|26.18
|, New York, North Bergen
|
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 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is composed of two segments, a 5.15 miles (8.29 km) freeway in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
linking Interstate 287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
and the New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
(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...
) in Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
to the Outerbridge Crossing
Outerbridge Crossing
The Outerbridge Crossing is a cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. The "Outerbridge", as it is commonly known, connects Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the New York City borough of Staten Island and carries NY-440 and NJ-440, each road ending at the respective state border.The bridge was...
in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and a 8.18 miles (13.16 km) four-lane divided highway in Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
running from the Bayonne Bridge
Bayonne Bridge
The Bayonne Bridge is the fourth longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. It connects Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York, spanning the Kill Van Kull. Despite popular belief, it is not a national landmark.The bridge was...
in Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. These two segments are connected by New York State Route 440
New York State Route 440
New York State Route 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 Richmond Valley to the south to Port Richmond to the north...
, which runs across Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. The freeway portion in Middlesex County is six lanes wide and interchanges with the Garden State Parkway
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
and U.S. Route 9 in Woodbridge.
What is now Route 440 was designated as two different routes in 1927: the Middlesex County portion between Route 4 (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.
Middlesex County
The Route 440 freeway begins in Edison TownshipEdison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
at an interchange with the southern terminus of Interstate 287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
and the New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
(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...
); from Route 440’s southern terminus, the road becomes northbound Interstate 287. Within this interchange, Route 440 also has access to County Route 514
County Route 514 (New Jersey)
County Route 514 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from US 202 in East Amwell Township to Bayway Avenue in Elizabeth...
. 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
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
and U.S. Route 9 at a large interchange. From here, the freeway turns northeast and enters Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
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
County Route 501 (New Jersey)
County Route 501 is a county highway in New Jersey in two sections spanning Middlesex, Hudson and Bergen Counties. The southern section runs from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy, the northern section runs from Bayonne to Rockleigh, and the two sections are connected by New York State Route 440...
and Route 184. At this point, County Route 501 joins the Route 440 freeway for a concurrency
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...
, 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
Outerbridge Crossing
The Outerbridge Crossing is a cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. The "Outerbridge", as it is commonly known, connects Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the New York City borough of Staten Island and carries NY-440 and NJ-440, each road ending at the respective state border.The bridge was...
, a four-lane bridge maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. It passes over New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
’s North Jersey Coast Line
North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey...
and State Street before crossing over the Arthur Kill
Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill is a tidal strait separating Staten Island, New York from mainland New Jersey, USA, and a major navigational channel of the Port of New York and New Jersey. Kill is from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel"...
onto Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. At the New Jersey-New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
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
New York State Route 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 Richmond Valley to the south to Port Richmond to the north...
.
Hudson County
After New York State Route 440 runs 12.73 mi (20.49 km) through Staten Island, it enters New Jersey again via the Bayonne BridgeBayonne Bridge
The Bayonne Bridge is the fourth longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. It connects Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York, spanning the Kill Van Kull. Despite popular belief, it is not a national landmark.The bridge was...
, a four-lane undivided bridge over Kill Van Kull
Kill Van Kull
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. Approximately long and wide, it connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the eastern end of the Kill, Bergen Point its western end...
that is also maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Upon entering Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
in Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
, 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 NJDOT, County Route 501 splits from the route by heading north on Kennedy Boulevard at an interchange. Meanwhile, Route 440 turns to the east before heading northeast and passing through industrial areas as a surface road. It heads north-northeast as it passes between neighborhoods and New Jersey Transit’s Hudson–Bergen Light Rail to the west and port areas to the east, including the former Military Ocean Terminal
Military Ocean Terminal
Military Ocean Terminals are operated by the U.S. Army Surface Deployment and Distribution Command for distribution of surface cargo from storage and repair depots to military forward based units.-Current facilities:...
.
The route crosses into Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, where it comes to an interchange with Route 185
New Jersey Route 185
Route 185 is a short state highway in Jersey City in the U.S. state of New Jersey, between Route 440 and Linden Avenue. Route 185 is a freeway in the Greenville neighborhood of Jersey City. It is parallel to Interstate 78 on the eastern side...
. Here, the mainline becomes Route 185 and Route 440 exits onto another four-lane divided highway, coming to an interchange with the Newark Bay
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, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 78
Interstate 78 in New Jersey
Interstate 78 is an east–west route stretching from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to New York City. In New Jersey, I-78 is called the Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway and the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike...
) that provides access to the Jersey City and Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
waterfronts and the Holland Tunnel
Holland Tunnel
The Holland Tunnel is a highway tunnel under the Hudson River connecting the island of Manhattan in New York City with Jersey City, New Jersey at Interstate 78 on the mainland. Unusual for an American public works project, it is not named for a government official, politician, or local hero or...
. From here, Route 440 continues northwest, closely paralleling the north side of Interstate 78. 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
Newark Bay Bridge
The Newark Bay Bridge is a steel through arch bridge that is continuous across three spans. It crosses Newark Bay and connects the cities of Newark and Bayonne in New Jersey...
(Interstate 78). After making a hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
back to the north, it passes under the Newark Bay Bridge another time and runs along the eastern shore of Newark Bay. 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 renumbering1927 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...
, what is now Route 440 was defined as two separate routes. The Middlesex County portion from Route 4 (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
Rockleigh, New Jersey
Rockleigh is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 531.Rockleigh was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1923 from portions of Northvale.New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked...
. Route S4 was eventually extended west to the Garden State Parkway. This route followed Pfeiffer Boulevard and the one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
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
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. 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
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:...
, 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. 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 1972. 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
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
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.
In anticipation of a general increase of activity in Port of New York and New Jersey
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
and new development on West Side
West Side, Jersey City
The West Side of Jersey City is a made of several diverse neighborhoods on either side of West Side Avenue, one of the city's main shopping streets...
and Hackensack Riverront
Hackensack RiverWalk
Hackensack RiverWalk a is partially constructed greenway along the Newark Bay and Hackensack River on the west side of the Bergen Neck peninsula in Hudson County, New Jersey...
in Jersey City studies are being conducted to transform the roadway into a multi-use urban boulevard that includes possible grade separations, meridians, a new traffic circle
Traffic circle
A traffic circle or rotary is a type of circular intersection in which traffic must travel in one direction around a central island. In some countries, traffic entering the circle has the right-of-way and drivers in the circle must yield. In many other countries, traffic entering the circle must...
at its northern terminus.
Major intersections
{| class="wikitable"!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=14|Middlesex
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
|rowspan=2|Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
|0.00
|
|Continuation beyond I-95
|-
|0.33
|
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Woodbridge
|1.46
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.01
|
|
|-
|2.05
|
|
|-
|2.05
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.27
|
|-
|2.27
|
|Northbound exit only
|-
|rowspan=2|2.66
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=5|Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
|-
|3.41
|
|Southbound exit to NJ 35 north is via Amboy Avenue exit, south end of CR 501 overlap
|-
|3.68
|
|Northbound exit is via NJ 35 exit
|-
|4.26
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|5.15
|colspan=2 align="center"|Outerbridge Crossing
Outerbridge Crossing
The Outerbridge Crossing is a cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. The "Outerbridge", as it is commonly known, connects Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the New York City borough of Staten Island and carries NY-440 and NJ-440, each road ending at the respective state border.The bridge was...
over Arthur Kill
Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill is a tidal strait separating Staten Island, New York from mainland New Jersey, USA, and a major navigational channel of the Port of New York and New Jersey. Kill is from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel"...
|-
|colspan=5 align="center"|See NY 440
|-
|rowspan=9|Hudson
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
|rowspan=4|Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
|18.00
|colspan=2 align="center"|Bayonne Bridge
Bayonne Bridge
The Bayonne Bridge is the fourth longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. It connects Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York, spanning the Kill Van Kull. Despite popular belief, it is not a national landmark.The bridge was...
over Kill van Kull
Kill Van Kull
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. Approximately long and wide, it connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the eastern end of the Kill, Bergen Point its western end...
|-
|18.89
|Avenue A
|Southbound exit and entrance
|-
|18.91
|
|No southbound exit, north end of CR 501 overlap
|-
|colspan=3 align="center"|North end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=5|Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
|21.99
|
|Interchange
|-
|22.22
|
|Interchange
|-
|22.96
|Avenue C, Garfield Avenue
|Interchange
|-
|24.84
|
|
|-
|26.18
|, New York, North Bergen
|