New Jersey Route 59

Route 59, at 0.15-mile (0.24 km) long, is the shortest state highway in New Jersey, United States.[2] The route consists entirely of a short block of Lincoln Avenue from Union County Route 610 (known locally as South Avenue) in Cranford to New Jersey Route 28 (known locally as North Avenue) along the Cranford–Garwood border. The route functions as an underpass under the Raritan Valley Line of NJ Transit, under which it crosses about halfway down the block, along the municipal border. Route 59 was originally a proposed alignment of Route 22, which was supposed to head from an intersection with current day New Jersey Route 159 in Morris County at the Pine Brook Bridge before heading through several counties, terminating at an intersection with New Jersey Route 27 in Rahway. Most of the route was not constructed, and a portion in Garwood and Cranford was re-designated Route 59 in the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering on January 1, 1953.

"New Jersey Route 22" redirects here. For the current highway called Route 22, see U.S. Route 22 in New Jersey.

Route 59 marker

Route 59

Lincoln Avenue
Alignment of Route 59 in red
Route information
Maintained by NJDOT
Length0.15 mi[1] (240 m)
Existed1953–present
Major junctions
South end CR 610 in Cranford
North end Route 28 on Cranford–Garwood line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountiesUnion
Highway system
← Route 58→ Route 60
← US 22Route 22→ Route 23

Route description
Route 59 southbound as seen from the Raritan Valley Line. The intersection with CR 610 is visible ahead

Route 59 begins at a four-way intersection with Union County Route 610 (CR 610; South Avenue) in the community of Cranford. Route 59 heads northwestward, passing a couple of businesses in both directions. The route crosses under the NJ Transit-owned Raritan Valley Line at which point the border of Cranford and Garwood runs along the center of the road. The route continues to the northwest, passing businesses before ending at a signalized T-intersection with Route 28 (North Avenue). The pavement ends at the intersection through a state-constructed bridge carrying the intersection over a small creek is angled such that a road could continue northwest. Throughout the entire length of the route, it is four lanes wide (two in each direction).[3]

History

Route 22 marker

Route 22

LocationCranford–Garwood
Existed1927[4]–1953[5]
The intersection of Route 28 and Route 59 on the border of Garwood and Cranford, with overhead signage indicating Route 59's presence on Lincoln Avenue

The alignment of Route 59 was designated as part of the proposed State Highway Route 22 in the 1927 renumbering, which was proposed to run from the Pine Brook Bridge over the Passaic River at State Highway Route 6 in Fairfield Township.[6] (This intersection is where New Jersey Route 159 currently crosses the bridge.) The route was to continue through parts of Morris, Essex and Union counties, including intersections with State Highway Route 10 at Livingston, U.S. Route 22 (also State Highway Route 29) at Mountainside, State Highway Route 28 at Garwood (where Routes 28 and 59 currently meet), and terminate in the community of Rahway at State Highway Route 27.[4][7] Most of this route was not constructed, except a portion from State Highway Route 28 (North Avenue) in Cranford to South Avenue in Garwood. This portion was renumbered as Route 59 in the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering on January 1, 1953 so as not to duplicate U.S. Route 22.[5]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Union County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Cranford0.000.00 CR 610 (South Avenue) / Lincoln Avenue
Cranford–Garwood
municipal line		0.150.24 Route 28 (North Avenue) – Westfield, Somerville, Cranford, Elizabeth
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References
  1. "Route 59 Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 2009. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. Roberts, Russell. New Jersey's Atlantic Shore: From Sandy Hook to Atlantic City & on to Cape May, p. 3. Hunter Publishing, 2011. ISBN 9781588439796. Accessed October 27, 2019. "The shortest highway in America is in New Jersey. Route 59, clocking in at a whopping 792 feet, is located on the border of Cranford and Garwood. It was originally built in 1931 to be part of Route 22, but plans changed."
  3. Google (September 30, 2015). "New Jersey Route 59" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  4. "ROUTE NO. 22. PINE BROOK BRIDGE TO RAHWAY, by way of West Caldwell, Livingston, Millburn, Springfield, in the vicinity of Garwood and to Route No. 27 in Rahway". New Jersey General Assembly. 1927: chapter 319. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. "1953 renumbering". New Jersey Department of Highways. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.
  7. Map of State Highway Route 22 (Map). New Jersey State Highway Department. 1927. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
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