Route 56 (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Route 56 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 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. Also known as Landis Avenue, it runs 9.19 mi (14.79 km) from an intersection with Route 77 and County Route 622 in Upper Deerfield Township
Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Upper Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...

, 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....

, to an intersection with Route 47 (Delsea Drive) in 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...

, Cumberland County. The route serves as a connector between Bridgeton
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County...

 and Vineland. West of the interchange with Route 55 in Vineland, Route 56 is a two-lane undivided road that passes through rural areas of Cumberland County, also entering a corner of Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...

. East of Route 55, the route is a four-lane locally-maintained road that runs through commercial areas of Vineland.

The portion of current Route 56 in Vineland was built as a 100-foot (30 m) wide road when Vineland was planned in the 1860s, serving as the main east–west road through the community. In the past, the Route 56 number was used twice for a never-built road between the Laurelton Circle and Mantoloking
Mantoloking, New Jersey
Mantoloking is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States . As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough had a total population of 296. The borough has an estimated summer population of approximately 5,000...

 in Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...

 legislated in 1938 and for the portion of 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...

 between current Route 157 and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

 between 1938 and 1953. The current iteration of Route 56 was legislated in 1977 to run from Route 77 north of Bridgeton to Route 47 in Vineland, replacing County Route 22 between Route 77 and the Salem County border, County Route 6 within Salem County, and County Route 23 between the Salem County border and Route 47. This portion of road was designated as Route 56 by the 1990s. In 2007, two bridges along the route were replaced. The Rainbow Lake Bridge in Pittsgrove Township
Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey
Pittsgrove Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 9,393....

 was rebuilt after it was washed out by the April 2007 Nor'easter
April 2007 Nor'easter
The April or Spring Nor’easter of 2007 was a nor'easter that affected mainly the eastern parts of North America during its four day course April 14 to April 17, 2007. The combined effects of high winds, heavy rainfall, and high tides led to flooding, storm damages, power outages, and evacuations,...

 while the Maurice River
Maurice River
The Maurice River is a river that empties into the Delaware Bay in southern New Jersey in the United States.The Maurice River, pronounced "Morris", is approximately long and is the second longest and largest tributary to Delaware Bay. Its watershed includes an extensive southern portion of the...

 bridge was reconstructed to make it wider and higher.

Route description

Route 56 begins at Route 77 and CR 622 in Upper Deerfield Township
Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Upper Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...

, 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....

, a short distance north of Bridgeton
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County...

. From this intersection, the route heads to the northeast as two-lane undivided Landis Avenue. Shortly after it begins, it passes businesses and intersects CR 611. From here, Route 56 turns to the east-northeast and passes a mix of residences and farm fields. The route comes to a five-way junction with CR 553
County Route 553 (New Jersey)
County Route 553, abbreviated CR 553, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Hands Landing Road/Ogden Avenue in Commercial Township to Broadway in Deptford Township.-Cumberland County:...

 and CR 687 before intersecting County Route 645. The road heads into Deerfield Township
Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...

, coming to a junction with CR 686. Past this intersection, Route 56 continues toward the community of Rosenhayn
Rosenhayn, New Jersey
Rosenhayn is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Deerfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...

. Here, the road intersects CR 737 before running past homes and crossing CR 634, where there are some businesses along the road. A short distance later, the route intersects CR 717, where it crosses into Pittsgrove Township
Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey
Pittsgrove Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 9,393....

 in Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...

.
Route 56 heads through a mix of farms and woodland, passing to the south of Rainbow Lake. Past the lake, the road turns to the east and continues into agricultural areas and intersects CR 655. Traveling eastward, the road crosses CR 638 and a Winchester and Western Railroad
Winchester and Western Railroad
The Winchester and Western Railroad is a shortline railroad operating from Gore through Winchester, Virginia and West Virginia to Hagerstown, Maryland. It also operates several lines in southern New Jersey, connecting to Conrail Shared Assets Operations at Millville and Vineland...

 line. The route heads into forested areas, where it passes over the Maurice River
Maurice River
The Maurice River is a river that empties into the Delaware Bay in southern New Jersey in the United States.The Maurice River, pronounced "Morris", is approximately long and is the second longest and largest tributary to Delaware Bay. Its watershed includes an extensive southern portion of the...

 into 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...

 in Cumberland County. Here, it widens into 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 comes 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 Route 55. Past this interchange, Route 56 becomes a four-lane undivided road that is locally maintained. The route heads through commercial sectors of Vineland before coming to a crossroads with CR 628. The route continues past more inhabited areas and businesses before reaching its end at Route 47 (Delsea Drive). From here, Landis Avenue continues to the east toward the downtown area of Vineland.

History

The portion of Route 56 in Vineland was built as a 100 feet (30.5 m) wide road when Vineland was planned in the 1860s, serving as the main east–west road through the community. In 1938, two separate roads numbered Route 56 were legislated. One was located in Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...

 and was to run from the Laurelton Circle east to Mantoloking
Mantoloking, New Jersey
Mantoloking is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States . As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough had a total population of 296. The borough has an estimated summer population of approximately 5,000...

; this road was never built. The other was located in the Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

 area along 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...

 (Absecon Boulevard) east of current Route 157; the Route 56 designation on this road was dropped 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:...

. What is modern-day Route 56 was originally designated as County Route 22 between Route 77 and the Salem County border, County Route 6 in Salem County, and County Route 23 between the Salem County border and Route 47. In 1977, Route 56 was legislated onto its current alignment between Route 77 in Upper Deerfield Township and Route 47 in Vineland, replacing County Routes 6, 22, and 23. The Route 56 designation was applied to this road by the 1990s.

Due to the April 2007 Nor'easter
April 2007 Nor'easter
The April or Spring Nor’easter of 2007 was a nor'easter that affected mainly the eastern parts of North America during its four day course April 14 to April 17, 2007. The combined effects of high winds, heavy rainfall, and high tides led to flooding, storm damages, power outages, and evacuations,...

, the Rainbow Lake Bridge in Pittsgrove Township was washed out and the New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...

 had to replace it with a new bridge. This closure led to detours for traffic traveling between Vineland and Bridgeton. The new Rainbow Lake Bridge was opened in November 2007. The bridge spanning the Maurice River, which connects Vineland and Pittsgrove Township, was closed in July 2007 for planned repairs. This bridge replacement, which was completed in December 2007, cost $5 million and provided a wider and higher crossing of the river.

Major intersections

|-
|colspan=6 align="center"|No major junctions in Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...


|-

External links

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