New Jersey Route 68
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Dix Access Highway | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by NJDOT | ||||
| Length: | 7.92 mi[1] (12.75 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1953 – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: |
 CR 616 in New Hanover Township (Fort Dix) | |||
 CR 537 in Springfield Township | ||||
| North end: |
 US 206 in Mansfield Township | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route 68 is a state highway located in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving as the main connector between the New Jersey Turnpike and Fort Dix. It runs from County Route 616 at the fort to U.S. Route 206 in Mansfield Township, 0.34 mi (0.55 km) south of the New Jersey Turnpike; a total route length of 7.92 mi (12.75 km). The route passes through Wrightstown and Springfield Township as a two-lane undivided road, crossing County Route 537. It continues through Mansfield Township as a four-lane divided highway, intersecting with County Route 543. Route 68 passes through mostly agricultural and residential areas.
The route was originally designated as Route S39 in 1941, a spur of Route 39 (present-day U.S. Route 206) that was to provide improved access to Fort Dix during World War II. In 1953, Route S39 became Route 68 and it was legislated to extend south of Fort Dix to the Four Mile Circle with Route 70 and Route 72. A freeway for Route 68 was proposed to run between a planned Route 38 freeway and the Four Mile Circle in 1960; however, it was never built.
Route description
Route 68 begins at General Circle with County Route 616 on the grounds of Fort Dix in New Hanover Township, heading to the north as a four-lane divided highway called Fort Dix Road.[1][2] The road continues through the fort and crosses into Wrightstown, where it narrows into a two-lane undivided road before heading into Springfield Township.[1] The route passes a gate into Fort Dix before intersecting County Route 670 and leaving the fort, towards a mix of farmland and woodland. Route 68 crosses County Route 537 before continuing north into agricultural areas with some homes.[1][2]
The road enters Mansfield Township where it widens into a four-lane divided highway as it intersects a road that provides access to parallel County Route 545 to the east, which heads south to serve as an access road to McGuire Air Force Base. From here, the route turns northwest and crosses County Route 543 before heading through a mix of farm fields and suburban residential neighborhoods.[1][2] Past the intersection with White Pine Road, Route 68 passes in between two large car lots. The route terminates at an intersection with U.S. Route 206 located a short distance south of that route’s interchange with the New Jersey Turnpike.[2] Route 68 serves as the main access route between Fort Dix and the New Jersey Turnpike.[3]
History
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As part of improving road access to the Fort Dix Military Reservation at the onset of World War II, a Works Progress Administration project improved the paved road connecting the fort to Bordentown.[4] In 1941, this road was legislated as Route S39, a state highway spur of Route 39 (now U.S. Route 206) that was to run from the fort to Mansfield Square.[5] Construction on the access road was completed in 1943 at a cost of over $2 million.[6] Route S39 became Route 68 in the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering.[7] The same year, an extension of Route 68 was legislated to run south from Fort Dix to the intersection with Route 70 and Route 72 at the Four Mile Circle.[8] In 1961, a freeway was proposed along the Route 68 corridor, running from a planned Route 38 freeway near Fort Dix south to Route 70 and Route 72; however, this was never built.[9][10]
Major intersections
The entire route is in Burlington County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover Township | 0.00 | 0.00 | CR 616 (Pemberton-Wrightstown Road) – Pemberton | General Circle, Southern terminus | |
| Springfield Township | 2.85 | 4.59 | CR 537 (Monmouth Road) – Jobstown, Jacobstown | ||
| Mansfield Township | 4.30 | 6.92 |  CR 543 (School House Road) – Columbus, Georgetown | ||
| 7.92 | 12.75 |  US 206 to N.J. Turnpike | Northern terminus | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
- U.S. Roads portal
- New Jersey portal
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Route 68 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Google (2009-07-14). "overview of New Jersey Route 68" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ↑ "Fort Dix Directions". Fort Dix. Archived from the original on 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ↑ "Roads to Fort Dix Will be Improved". The New York Times. February 15, 1941.
- ↑ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1941, Chapter 13, Page 25, Section 1.
- ↑ "New Fort Dix Road Is Opened". The New York Times. December 17, 1943.
- ↑ 1953 renumbering. New Jersey Department of Highways. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
- ↑ State of New Jersey, Laws of 1953, Chapter 112, Page 1298, Section 1.
- ↑ New Jersey Builds Better Highways (Report). New Jersey State Highway Department. 1961.
- ↑ "Proposed Expressways in New York City". Regional Plan Association News. May 1964. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Jersey Route 68. |
Route map: Bing