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Route 54 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 54 is a state highway
located in Atlantic County
in New Jersey
, United States
. It is a southern extension of U.S. Route 206
(US 206), running 11.86 mi (19.09 km) from an intersection with US 206 and US 30
in Hammonton
to an intersection with US 40
in Buena Vista Township
. The road passes through the center of Hammonton before running into rural areas. It intersects US 322
and Route 73 in Folsom
and the Atlantic City Expressway
in Hammonton.
What is now Route 54 was originally legislated in 1938 to run from US 30/US 206 in Hammonton south to Main Road in Landis Township
(part of present-day Vineland
). The only part taken over as a state highway and designated Route 54 was north of US 40 in Buena, the proposed route south of this point remained as county-maintained Lincoln Avenue. In 1953, Route 54 was defined onto its current alignment. A freeway was proposed along the Route 54 corridor in the late 1960s to connect the southern terminus of US 206 in Hammonton to Route 55 in the Vineland/Millville
area; it was eventually canceled.
/County Route 557
(CR 557) and CR 619 on the border of Buena
and Buena Vista Township
. Known as Buena Hammonton Road, it proceeds north-northeast as a two-lane undivided road through agricultural areas, forming the border between Buena to the west and Buena Vista Township to the east. After fully entering Buena Vista Township and becoming 12th Street, the road reaches an intersection with CR 690 and makes a turn more to the northeast. At this point, Route 54 enters forested areas, with a few breaks for residences. Upon entering Folsom
, the route passes over a Conrail Shared Assets Operations
railroad line before coming to a cloverleaf interchange
with US 322
(Black Horse Pike
). After this interchange, the road comes to a crossroads with Route 73, which is signed as County Route 561 Spur. Following this intersection, Route 54 heads through a mix of woods and farm fields as it enters Hammonton
and reaches an interchange with the Atlantic City Expressway
. In the area of this interchange, the route is a four-lane divided highway
.
Past the Atlantic City Expressway, the two-lane undivided road comes to an intersection with CR 559
. From this point, Route 54 is lined with residences and businesses as it comes into downtown Hammonton. The road crosses New Jersey Transit
’s Atlantic City Line
immediately before a junction with CR 561
. After CR 561, the route becomes Bellevue Avenue and encounters the western terminus of CR 542
. As the road leaves the downtown area, the surroundings become more residential. Route 54 ends at an intersection with US 30
and US 206
, where the road continues north as US 206.
, Cumberland County
(now a part of Vineland
). The only portion of Route 54 that was taken over as a state highway was north of the US 40/Route 48 intersection in Buena. The portion of Lincoln Avenue south of US 40 remained a county route called CR 25 in Cumberland County and CR 55 and CR 19 in Atlantic County. This road is presently both Cumberland and Atlantic CRs 655 and a part of Atlantic CR 619. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering
, Route 54 was defined onto its current alignment between US 40 in Buena Vista and US 30/US 206 in Hammonton. In the late 1960s, a freeway 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 Vineland and Millville
. 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. This proposed freeway was never built due to environmental and financial issues.
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...
located in Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
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 a southern extension of 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...
(US 206), running 11.86 mi (19.09 km) from an intersection with US 206 and US 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...
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 an intersection with US 40
U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 40 is a U.S. highway running from Park City, Utah east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route runs through the southern part of New Jersey between the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where it continues...
in Buena Vista Township
Buena Vista Township, New Jersey
Buena Vista Township is a township located in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 7,570....
. The road passes through the center of Hammonton before running into rural areas. It intersects US 322
U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
and Route 73 in Folsom
Folsom, New Jersey
Folsom is a borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,885.Folsom was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1906, from portions of Buena Vista Township.New Jersey Monthly magazine...
and the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
in Hammonton.
What is now Route 54 was originally legislated in 1938 to run from US 30/US 206 in Hammonton south to Main Road in Landis Township
Landis Township, New Jersey
Landis Township was a township that existed in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, from 1864 to 1952. It was named after Charles K. Landis, the founder of Vineland....
(part of present-day Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...
). The only part taken over as a state highway and designated Route 54 was north of US 40 in Buena, the proposed route south of this point remained as county-maintained Lincoln Avenue. In 1953, Route 54 was defined onto its current alignment. A freeway was proposed along the Route 54 corridor in the late 1960s to connect the southern terminus of US 206 in Hammonton to Route 55 in the Vineland/Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
area; it was eventually canceled.
Route description
Route 54 begins at an intersection with US 40U.S. Route 40 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 40 is a U.S. highway running from Park City, Utah east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route runs through the southern part of New Jersey between the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where it continues...
/County Route 557
County Route 557 (New Jersey)
County Route 557, abbreviated CR 557, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delsea Drive in Dennis Township to Main Street in Franklin Township.-Cape May County:...
(CR 557) and CR 619 on the border of Buena
Buena, New Jersey
Buena is a borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,603.Landisville and Minotola are unincorporated areas located within Buena Borough, both of which had postal facilities established with those names in 1871 and 1897,...
and Buena Vista Township
Buena Vista Township, New Jersey
Buena Vista Township is a township located in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 7,570....
. Known as Buena Hammonton Road, it proceeds north-northeast as a two-lane undivided road through agricultural areas, forming the border between Buena to the west and Buena Vista Township to the east. After fully entering Buena Vista Township and becoming 12th Street, the road reaches an intersection with CR 690 and makes a turn more to the northeast. At this point, Route 54 enters forested areas, with a few breaks for residences. Upon entering Folsom
Folsom, New Jersey
Folsom is a borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,885.Folsom was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1906, from portions of Buena Vista Township.New Jersey Monthly magazine...
, the route passes over a Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations is an American railroad company. It operates three networks—the North Jersey, South Jersey/Philadelphia, and Detroit Shared Assets Areas, where it serves as a local carrier and switching company for CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway...
railroad line before coming to a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with US 322
U.S. Route 322 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The easternmost segment of the route in New Jersey runs from the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Logan Township, Glocuester County, where it continues into Chester, Pennsylvania,...
(Black Horse Pike
Black Horse Pike
The Black Horse Pike is a designation used for a number of different roadways that had been part of a historic route connecting the Camden area to the area of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roadways now bearing the Black Horse Pike designation include portions of New Jersey Route 168, New Jersey Route...
). After this interchange, the road comes to a crossroads with Route 73, which is signed as County Route 561 Spur. Following this intersection, Route 54 heads through a mix of woods and farm fields as it enters 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...
and reaches an interchange with the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
. In the area of this interchange, the route is a four-lane divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
.
Past the Atlantic City Expressway, the two-lane undivided road comes to an intersection with CR 559
County Route 559 (New Jersey)
County Route 559, abbreviated CR 559, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey also known as Weymouth Rd. The highway extends from the former Somers Point Circle at MacArthur Boulevard in Somers Point to Egg Harbor Road in Hammonton.-Route description:CR 559 begins at an intersection...
. From this point, Route 54 is lined with residences and businesses as it comes into downtown Hammonton. The road crosses 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 Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
immediately before a junction with CR 561
County Route 561 (New Jersey)
County Route 561, abbreviated CR 561, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from New York Road in Galloway Township to Federal Street , Camden.-Atlantic County:...
. After CR 561, the route becomes Bellevue Avenue and encounters the western terminus of CR 542
County Route 542 (New Jersey)
County Route 542, abbreviated CR 542, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Route 54 in Hammonton to U.S. Route 9 in Bass River Township.-Atlantic County:...
. As the road leaves the downtown area, the surroundings become more residential. Route 54 ends at an intersection with US 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...
and US 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...
, where the road continues north as US 206.
History
By 1927, what is now Route 54 was an unnumbered, unpaved road connecting Buena to Hammonton. Route 54 was legislated in 1938 to run from US 30/Route 43 and US 206/Route 39 in Hammonton south along Lincoln Avenue to an intersection with Main Road in Landis TownshipLandis Township, New Jersey
Landis Township was a township that existed in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, from 1864 to 1952. It was named after Charles K. Landis, the founder of Vineland....
, Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population is 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland....
(now a part of Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...
). The only portion of Route 54 that was taken over as a state highway was north of the US 40/Route 48 intersection in Buena. The portion of Lincoln Avenue south of US 40 remained a county route called CR 25 in Cumberland County and CR 55 and CR 19 in Atlantic County. This road is presently both Cumberland and Atlantic CRs 655 and a part of Atlantic CR 619. 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:...
, Route 54 was defined onto its current alignment between US 40 in Buena Vista and US 30/US 206 in Hammonton. In the late 1960s, a freeway 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 Vineland and Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
. 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. This proposed freeway was never built due to environmental and financial issues.