Route 50 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 50 is a state highway
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 southern part 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 runs 26.02 mi (41.88 km) from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 (US 9) and 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...

 in Upper Township
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...

, Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...

 to 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 County Route 563
County Route 563 (New Jersey)
County Route 563, abbreviated CR 563, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from CR 629/Ocean Drive in Margate City, Atlantic County north to Route 72 in Woodland Township, Burlington County...

 (CR 563) in Egg Harbor City
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Egg Harbor City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 4,243....

, Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...

. The route, which is mostly a two-lane undivided road, passes through mostly rural areas of Atlantic and Cape May counties as well as the communities of Tuckahoe
Tuckahoe, New Jersey
Tuckahoe is an unincorporated community in Upper Township, Cape May County, New Jersey, United States.-Bridge construction:A bridge, constructed in 1920 and renovated in 1962, connects Tuckahoe to Corbin City, its neighbor to the north...

, Corbin City
Corbin City, New Jersey
Corbin City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 492.Corbin City was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Weymouth Township....

, Estell Manor
Estell Manor, New Jersey
Estell Manor is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 1,735.Estell Manor was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1925, from portions of Weymouth Township.-Geography:Estell Manor is...

, and Mays Landing
Mays Landing, New Jersey
Mays Landing is a census-designated place located within Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 2,321. It is the county seat of Atlantic County...

. NJ 50 intersects several roads, including Route 49 in Tuckahoe, 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 Mays Landing, and 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 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 Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 26,503...

.

The portion of current Route 50 between Seaville and Petersburg received funding in 1910 to become a spur of the Ocean Highway
Ocean Highway (New Jersey)
Ocean Highway was a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Legislated in 1909 as Ocean Boulevard, it was New Jersey's first state highway...

. In 1917, what is now Route 50 was designated a part of pre-1927 Route 14, a route that was to run from Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...

 to Egg Harbor City. Route 50 was designated onto its current alignment in 1927, replacing this portion of pre-1927 Route 14. In 1960, a freeway was proposed for Route 50, running from the Garden State Parkway in Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...

 to US 30 in Mullica Township
Mullica Township, New Jersey
Mullica Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 6,147....

. This proposal was canceled by the mid 1970s due to financial and environmental concerns as well as lack of traffic. The interchange between Route 50 and the Atlantic City Expressway was reconstructed into a full interchange, with completion in June 2010.

Cape May County

Route 50 begins at an intersection with US 9 in the Seaville section of Upper Township
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...

, Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...

, heading to the north on a two-lane undivided road. From the southern terminus, a ramp provides access to and from the southbound 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...

. The road heads north through mostly rural wooded areas with some buildings. It intersects CR 671 in Greenfield before coming to a junction with CR 616. Later, Route 50 Cedar Swamp Creek
Cedar Swamp Creek
Cedar Swamp Creek is an tributary of the Tuckahoe River in southeast New Jersey in the United States.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Garden State , Seneca Press, 2002. ISBN 0-9605908-8-9...

 in an area of marshland. At this crossing, the road runs closely parallel to 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 entering Petersburg, where it splits from the railroad tracks and comes to a crossroad with CR 610. Upon leaving Petersburg, Route 50 turns to the north again and crosses over the Conrail Shared Assets Operations railroad line, intersecting CR 631. It continues to Tuckahoe
Tuckahoe, New Jersey
Tuckahoe is an unincorporated community in Upper Township, Cape May County, New Jersey, United States.-Bridge construction:A bridge, constructed in 1920 and renovated in 1962, connects Tuckahoe to Corbin City, its neighbor to the north...

 and comes to CR 669. Past this intersection, the route meets CR 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:...

 and CR 664. Route 50 forms 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...

 with CR 557 and the two routes head north and encounter the eastern terminus of Route 49 before leaving Tuckahoe.

Atlantic County

Not far after Route 49, the road crosses the Tuckahoe River
Tuckahoe River (New Jersey)
The Tuckahoe River is a blackwater river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The river drains an area of the southern Pinelands and empties into the Atlantic Ocean...

 into Corbin City
Corbin City, New Jersey
Corbin City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 492.Corbin City was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Weymouth Township....

, Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...

. In Corbin City, it heads into residential areas, with CR 611 looping to the west of the route. Route 50 and CR 557 continue northwest and intersect CR 648, where the road turns north into more forested areas. At the junction with CR 645, the route turns to the northeast and enters Estell Manor
Estell Manor, New Jersey
Estell Manor is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 1,735.Estell Manor was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1925, from portions of Weymouth Township.-Geography:Estell Manor is...

, becoming Broad Street. CR 557 splits from Route 50 by heading northwest on Buena Tuckahoe Road and Route 50 heads through some agricultural clearings, passing to the west of the MacNamara Wildlife Area, which is known as a breeding ground for several species of birds. The route intersects CR 557 Truck/CR 637, turning to the northeast and forming a concurrency with CR 557 Truck.

After passing some homes and Stephen Lake, the road turns to the north and passes to the west of Estell Manor County Park. The route crosses the South River
South River (Great Egg Harbor River)
The South River is a tributary of the Great Egg Harbor River in southeast New Jersey in the United States.It rises in Richland, New Jersey and joins the Great Egg Harbor River approximately downstream of Mays Landing...

 into Weymouth Township
Weymouth Township, New Jersey
Weymouth Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 2,715....

, passing the residential community of Belcoville to the east and meeting CR 669. It soon enters Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 26,503...

, where the name of the road becomes Mill Street and it comes to a junction 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...

 (Harding Highway). CR 557 Truck heads to the west on US 40 at this point while Route 50 heads east on US 40, and CR 616 continues north.

US 40 and NJ 50 follow the Harding Highway, a two-lane undivided road, turning to the northeast and crossing the Great Egg Harbor River
Great Egg Harbor River
The Great Egg Harbor River is a river in southern New Jersey in the United States. It is one of the major rivers that traverse the largely pristine Pinelands, draining of wetlands into the Atlantic Ocean at Great Egg Harbor, from which it takes its name....

. Upon passing over the river, enters Mays Landing
Mays Landing, New Jersey
Mays Landing is a census-designated place located within Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 2,321. It is the county seat of Atlantic County...

 and turns north, encountering CR 617 before passing over an abandoned railroad line and heading into the downtown area of Mays Landing. Here, the road crosses 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...

, and US 40 splits from NJ 50 by turning east along that road. Meanwhile, Route 50 continues north on Cape May Avenue, passing through developed areas. It leaves Mays Landing and heads into back into forests. The route turns to the northeast, passing near the Clover Leaf Lakes residential development, before coming to an interchange 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...

).

Past this interchange, Route 50 widens to 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:...

 and reaches a full 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...

. The route becomes a two-lane undivided road again and continues through inhabited areas, crossing into Galloway Township
Galloway Township, New Jersey
Galloway Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 37,349...

, where there is an intersection with CR 686. A short distance later, 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...

 near the Egg Harbor City Station
Egg Harbor City (NJT station)
Egg Harbor City Station is one of the New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Line rail stations, which is located in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Shuttles to the Egg Harbor Rail Station connect to the Atlantic City International Airport, the Visitors Center at the FAA Technical Center and the Richard...

 and enters Egg Harbor City
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Egg Harbor City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 4,243....

, turning into Philadelphia Avenue. A block after the railroad crossing, Route 50 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 CR 563
County Route 563 (New Jersey)
County Route 563, abbreviated CR 563, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from CR 629/Ocean Drive in Margate City, Atlantic County north to Route 72 in Woodland Township, Burlington County...

 (White Horse Pike), with CR 563 continuing north on Philadelphia Avenue at this point.

Route 50 is an important route linking the Atlantic City Expressway with the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...

 resorts in Cape May County, serving as an alternate to more congested routes. It also serves as evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...

 route from Cape May County to inland areas in the event of a hurricane.

History

The portion of current Route 50 between Seaville and Petersburg received funding to become a spur of the Ocean Highway
Ocean Highway (New Jersey)
Ocean Highway was a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Legislated in 1909 as Ocean Boulevard, it was New Jersey's first state highway...

 in 1910. The modern-day alignment of Route 50 was legislated as part of pre-1927 Route 14 in 1917, a route that was to run from Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...

 to Egg Harbor City. In the 1927 New Jersey 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...

, the portion of pre-1927 Route 14 between Seaville and Egg Harbor City was designated as Route 50, the highest state route number assigned in the renumbering. Route 50 retained its current routing 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:...

. A freeway was proposed for Route 50 around 1960, running from the Garden State Parkway in Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...

 north to US 30 in Mullica Township
Mullica Township, New Jersey
Mullica Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 6,147....

. This proposed freeway was intended to provide economic development to the region as well as provide a better route to the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...

 resorts of Cape May County for travelers from the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...

. However, this freeway was canceled by the mid-1970s due to financial and environmental concerns as well as lack of traffic along Route 50. On November 21, 2008, construction began on making the interchange with the Atlantic City Expressway a full interchange as part of a series of improvements set for the Atlantic City Expressway. This project was completed on June 18, 2010.

Major intersections

External links

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