County Route 506 is a
county highwayA county highway is a road in the United States and in the Canadian province of Ontario that is designated and/or maintained by the county highway department...
in the
U.S. stateA 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 JerseyNew 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...
. The highway extends 10.74 miles (17.28 kilometers) from Oak Road (Route 159) in Fairfield to Route 7 at the
Passaic RiverThe 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,...
in
BellevilleBelleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
.
Route description
CR 506 begins at an intersection with Route 159 in Fairfield Township. The route heads east-southeast as a four-lane
divided highwayDivided 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:...
called Bloomfield Avenue, which becomes an undivided road by the first intersection. Just after crossing the town line into
West CaldwellWest Caldwell is an township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and six miles northwest of Newark...
, CR 506 becomes a divided highway again, and intersects with local roads as it passes suburban areas of homes and businesses. After the intersection with Distler Avenue, the road briefly becomes undivided. Becoming a divided highway, the route crosses over CR 613 Spur and CR 613. The divided highway ends again as CR 506 turns more to the southeast before coming to CR 633. Prior to this intersection, the road is a divided highway.
Following this intersection, the route briefly forms the border between
CaldwellCaldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about outside of New York. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,822....
to the south and West Caldwell to the north before fully entering Caldwell. In Caldwell, CR 506 heads southeast into the commercial downtown and intersects CR 631 before meeting
CR 527County Route 527 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Main Street in Toms River Township to Pompton Avenue in Cedar Grove. It is the second longest county highway in New Jersey after Route 519. It was first given the number 527 in 1954...
. At this point, CR 527 forms a
concurrencyA 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 CR 506 and the road makes a turn to the east out of the downtown through more commercial development. The two routes split before CR 506 enters
North Caldwell-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
. The road briefly runs through North Caldwell, intersection CR 673 before it comes into Verona. In Verona, the road passes more businesses and has junctions with CR 637, CR 639, and CR 636. Before leaving Verona, Route 23 heads north from the northern terminus of
CR 577County Route 577, abbreviated CR 577, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Springfield Avenue in Springfield Township to Bloomfield Avenue in Verona.-Route description:...
at CR 506. After this intersection, CR 506 continues into
Montclair-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
and makes a turn to the south into residential areas. After a curve to the southeast, the route enters downtown Montclair and intersects CR 621 and CR 623/CR 668. The road crosses
New Jersey TransitThe 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
Montclair-Boonton LineThe Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Montclair Branch, which ran from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Street,...
near the
Bay Street stationBay Street Station is a New Jersey Transit station on Pine Street between Bloomfield and Glenridge Avenues in Montclair, New Jersey along the Montclair-Boonton Line. The station is served by all trains on the line, including all ten weekend trains. The first station of six in Montclair, Bay Street...
before coming into
Glen RidgeGlen Ridge is a borough in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,527. In 2010, Glen Ridge was ranked as the 38th Best Place to live by New Jersey Monthly magazine....
. In Glen Ridge, CR 506 splits from Bloomfield Avenue, which continues southeast as CR 506 Spur.
At this point, CR 506 turns north onto Highland Avenue briefly before turning east onto Belleville Avenue. The road passes through wooded residential areas, intersecting CR 653 before crossing into
BloomfieldBloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
. Here, the route passes homes and businesses, crossing
CR 509County Route 509 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends 25.78 miles from North Avenue in Westfield to Straight Street in Paterson....
and CR 652. After this, the road comes to a partial interchange with the
Garden State ParkwayThe 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...
that provides access to and from the northbound direction of the parkway. Following this interchange, CR 506 passes more development as it heads into
BellevilleBelleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
. In Belleville, the road passes homes and parkland, crossing CR 645. Entering more dense neighborhoods, CR 506 reaches Route 7, and turns north to run concurrent with that route, passing businesses. A block later, CR 506 splits from Route 7 by heading east on Rutgers Avenue. After passing some commercial establishments, CR 506 reaches an interchange with the Route 21 freeway, where the county route ends and the road continues east as a separate segment of Route 7.
History
The current alignment of County Route 506 was legislated as part of
Route 9 in the
1927 New Jersey state highway renumberingIn 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...
, which was to run from
Pine BrookPine Brook is an unincorporated area within Montville Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07058....
southeast to
BellevilleBelleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
. Route 9 was eventually removed from the state highway system, and when the 500-series county routes were created in 1952, County Route 506 was designated to run from Route 6/
U.S. Route 46U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
(now Route 159) in Fairfield to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck in
Jersey CityJersey 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...
, following Route 7 between Belleville and Jersey City. Eventually, County Route 506 was removed from the portion of road that ran concurrent with Route 7, ending at Route 7 and Route 21 in Belleville instead.
In 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, work started on the improved bus service on Bloomfield Avenue in Bloomfield and Newark. The $2 million project includes new bus shelters, signaling priority, and express bus service to
Newark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
and
Downtown NewarkDowntown Newark is Newark, New Jersey's major central business, retail, and cultural district. It is located at a bend in the Passaic River.Downtown is the site of the original Puritan settlement of Newark. The first settlers, led by Robert Treat, landed not far from the present site of the New...
.
Major intersections
Bannered routes
County Route 506 Spur is an extension of CR 506, located entirely in Essex County. The route is the continuation of Bloomfield Avenue, and extends 4.30 miles (6.92 kilometers) from Highland Avenue in
Glen RidgeGlen Ridge is a borough in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,527. In 2010, Glen Ridge was ranked as the 38th Best Place to live by New Jersey Monthly magazine....
to McCarter Highway (Route 21) in
NewarkNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
External links