New Jersey Roads - NJ 82

The end of NJ 82 WB, between the two sides of NJ 124 in Springfield. If the speed limit 35 ends here and there's no new sign, it defaults back down to 30 MPH along 124, which is about right for the next few blocks of development. CR 577 still officially begins a block to the east along Main St. - to the left is Spur CR 509 according to NJDOT - but Union County insists that the entire route is CR 577, multiplexed along 124 through the intersection, and signs it that way every chance it gets. There are two choices: either the county decides because it's a county route, or the state decides because it's a state-numbered 5xx route. Pick one for now, and I'll get back to you later.

S24 (S-24, really) is the original number of NJ 82. It makes sense if you remember that NJ 124 was originally NJ 24. Since NJ 82 spurs from 124 into Elizabeth, it makes sense to number it as a spur of that parent route, at least until 1953 when NJDOT stopped numbering Spur and Alternate routes. This bridge crosses the Rahway River. Interestingly, there's an Angel Ave. a short block away, I'm sure named after Colonel Angell.

Old white sign on NJ 82 WB in Union. It's useful for traffic waiting in the middle of the intersection, because drivers normally think that a red light means they have to clear. Of course, sensible drivers always wait to make sure no one's going to go through the intersection anyway...

These signs face motorists on NJ 82 EB underneath the Garden State Parkway and US 22 EB, respectively, at the interchange of all three routes. Traffic to and from 82 uses a system of U-turn and slip ramps to get where it needs to go, and 22-GSP traffic is similarly unintuitive in non-parallel directions (see the US 22 page for more on that). Basically, there are U-turns at either end of the interchange on US 22, and all the missing movements are supposed to use those. Also, GSP NB Exit 139B is signed for NJ 82 WB, a wicked hairpin loop, when in fact it's just using a few local roads, including Chestnut St. (signed only on 139A), to get there. The reverse, NJ 82 EB to the GSP SB, uses the same roads.

NJ 82 WB in the same place, with the overhead LGS on the far side of the US 22 EB overpass (the outermost roadway of those passing overhead). The ramp splits between the Parkway NB and 22 EB, and traffic to other movements is expected to use the EB-WB U-turn on 22. The useless "one way" sign is for NJ 82 WB, but there's no one entering the road who could be thus confused.

Speaking of which, the oddly shielded split in that ramp. Unless you know this sign is coming, there's no way to photograph it, because the ramp radius is tight and there's a Jersey Driver on your tail.

WB just before the above interchange, a river sign and a second bridge that are both from the NJSHR S-24 days. The last bridge photo is of the WB side and the other two are the EB side.

WB, with errors. "TO" is probably there just for balance with "NORTH." The words "RIGHT EXIT" could disappear.

This unusual sign is on Johnson Place SB (the shield at top is opposite this sign). Traffic from NJ 82 EB to the GSP SB uses a spur road (Elmwood Avenue) with a speed limit of 25. All signs to the GSP SB point this way, and it's hard to get above 25. On the other hand, savvy traffic can keep going another half-mile on 82, to another sign for the GSP, that points down Johnson. A block later, they find a line of cars on Elmwood, and are free to move about the demi-rotary and cut by traffic that was a good minute or two ahead of them on 82.

Speaking of which, Elmwood Ave. WB approaching NJ 82.

Onto CR 577?
Onto US 22
Onto the Garden State Parkway
Back to NJ Roads
Back to Roads