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Interstate 195 (New Jersey)

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Interstate 195 (I-195), known also as the Central Jersey Expressway, is an auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System located in the US state of New Jersey. Its western end is at I-295 and Route 29 just south of Trenton in Hamilton, Mercer County, while its eastern end is at the Garden State Parkway, Route 138, and Route 34 in Wall Township, Monmouth County. I-195 is 34.1 miles (54.9 km) in length. The route is mostly a four-lane highway that mainly runs through agrarian and wooded areas in Central Jersey. It has an interchange with the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) in Robbinsville and serves as a main access road to New Jersey's state capital of Trenton, the Horse Park of New Jersey, the Six Flags amusement park, and the Jersey Shore. On April 6, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed H.R. 4263 naming I-195 in New Jersey the James J. Howard Interstate Highway, in honor of the late James J. Howard.

Interstate 195 marker
Interstate 195
James J. Howard Interstate Highway
Central Jersey Expressway
Map
I-195 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-95
Maintained by NJDOT
Length34.1 mi[1][2] (54.9 km)
Existed1968–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-295 / Route 29 in Hamilton
Major intersections
East end
 G.S. Parkway / Route 138 / Route 34 in Wall Township
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountiesMercer, Monmouth, Ocean
Highway system
← Route 187→ US 202

The current I-195 was initially planned as a toll road called the Trenton–Asbury Park Expressway in the 1950s. In the 1960s, it became two proposed freeways Route 37 and Route 38 that were to cross the central part of the state. A compromise was reached for a single freeway between Trenton and Belmar which would get Interstate Highway funding as I-195. It was built in several stages during the 1970s and 1980s. There once existed a plan to extend the I-195 designation west to the interchange between the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) and I-95 in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, but it was decided to extend the I-295 designation west and south, along existing I-95 instead.

The highway, along with the Route 138 extension, was built to also be an evacuation route in times of emergency, such as before Hurricane Sandy, when the eastbound lanes were reversed all the way from the coast to the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) to accommodate for mass evacuations.[3]

Route description

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I-195's western terminus is at a modified cloverleaf interchange with I-295 in Hamilton, Mercer County, located southeast of Trenton. From this end, the freeway continues north into Trenton as Route 29. I-195 serves as the southern continuation of Route 29, continuing east from I-295 as a six-lane expressway, passing between suburban neighborhoods to the north and Crosswicks Creek to the south.[2][4] After the exit for U.S. Route 206 (US 206), the highway narrows to four lanes and turns northeast as it interchanges with South Broad Street (CR 524) and Arena Drive (CR 620).[2] Following this, I-195 passes near more neighborhoods and runs to the northwest of Gropp Lake before turning more to the east.[4] The route has a cloverleaf interchange with Yardville-Hamilton Square Road before passing near business parks and reaching a cloverleaf interchange with US 130. After US 130, the road enters Robbinsville as the settings start to become more rural, with a few areas of suburban development.[2][4] In Robbinsville, there is a ramp that provides access to the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95). Shortly after passing over the New Jersey Turnpike, I-195 reaches the exit for CR 526.[2] The highway runs to the north of Allentown before briefly forming the border between Robbinsville to the north and Upper Freehold, Monmouth County, to the south as it reaches the interchange with CR 524/CR 539.[2][4]

 
I-195 eastbound past the CR 43 interchange in Upper Freehold Township

Upon passing under CR 524/CR 539, I-195 fully enters Upper Freehold in Monmouth County and continues east through a mix of woodland and farmland.[2][4] The next interchange the highway reaches is with Imlaystown-Hightstown Road (CR 43).[2] Past this exit, the highway passes through more rural areas and crosses into Millstone Township. In this area, I-195 turns to the southeast and enters more forested areas as it comes to a cloverleaf interchange with CR 537.[2][4] This exit off I-195 provides access to the Six Flags amusement park and the Jackson Premium Outlets.[4] Due to the presence of Six Flags, this exit off I-195 can become busy during the summer months since it provides access to the park from both the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which lies just east of I-195's eastern terminus.[5][6] Upon crossing CR 537, the highway enters Jackson in Ocean County and continues east through heavy woods. The road comes to an exit with CR 527, where there is a park-and-ride lot for motorists. The median of I-195 widens past the interchange with CR 527 before narrowing as it comes to the interchange with CR 638.[2][4] The road runs through more woodland, with nearby residential development increasing.[4]

After crossing the North Branch of the Metedeconk River, I-195 continues into Howell, Monmouth County, and turns northeast, reaching a cloverleaf interchange with US 9.[2][4] At this point, the road turns east again and soon heads back into dense woods, passing over the Southern Secondary railroad line operated by the Delaware and Raritan River Railroad.[4] After crossing the Manasquan River, the expressway interchanges with CR 547, which provides access to CR 524 and CR 549. Shortly after CR 547, I-195 enters Wall Township and passes through Allaire State Park.[2][4] The eastern end of I-195 is located at exit 35, its junction with Route 34 that has access to the southbound Garden State Parkway from the eastbound direction.[2] At the exit for Route 34, I-195 ends and Route 138 begins, but the highway and exit numbering continue onto Route 138, marking the interchange with the Garden State Parkway as exit 36.[2][4] Past this interchange, Route 138 continues east to Belmar on the Jersey Shore as an arterial boulevard, making connections with Route 18 and Route 35.[4]

History

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I-195 westbound at the CR 527 exit in Jackson

What would become I-195 was first proposed in the late 1950s as a toll road called the Trenton–Asbury Park Expressway that was to be operated by the New Jersey Highway Authority, the owner of the Garden State Parkway at the time.[7] In 1965, this road would be incorporated into a planned Central Jersey Expressway System. The western portion would become a part of the Route 37 freeway that was to run from Trenton to Seaside Heights while the eastern portion would become a part of the Route 38 freeway that was to run from Camden to Belmar. The two freeways were to meet near Fort Dix.[8] By 1967, plans for the Route 38 freeway were canceled, leaving Route 37 as the only planned east–west freeway through central New Jersey. The routing of this freeway, which was to be called the Central Jersey Expressway, was changed to run from the Trenton area east to Wall Township[9] In addition, officials pushed for Interstate Highway funding for the freeway, with funds to be diverted from the canceled I-278 in Union County. The proposed freeway would cost $60 million (equivalent to $418 million in 2023[10]).[11]

 
Interchange 21 was once the eastern terminus of I-195, as this US Geological Survey map illustrates

By 1970, construction took place on the route between CR 539 near Allentown and CR 527 in Jackson.[12] The portion of I-195 between the New Jersey Turnpike and CR 527 was opened by 1973 and construction on the section between White Horse and the New Jersey Turnpike began.[13] In 1979, I-195 was completed east to Howell.[14] By 1983, the length of I-195 was completed.[15]

When it was planned, I-195 did not interchange with I-95 at all; it instead connected to I-295 at its west end.[15] When I-95 was rerouted to the New Jersey Turnpike after the cancelation of the Somerset Freeway, I-195 was connected to I-95.[16] Previously, I-95 abruptly ended at I-295 and US 1 in Lawrence and motorists had to take I-295 southbound to I-195 east in order to access the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95).[17] This is no longer necessary as a result of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project which opened to traffic on September 22, 2018, completing the full length of I-95 from Miami, Florida, to Houlton, Maine.

On April 6, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed H.R. 4263 naming I-195 in New Jersey the James J. Howard Interstate Highway, in honor of the late James J. Howard, a US Representative from New Jersey who advocated improving the highways of the US.[18]

In 1997, separate ramps were added from I-195 to westbound and eastbound CR 537, and the westbound ramp was expanded to two lanes for Six Flags traffic.[19]

 
View west along I-195 in Hamilton

I-195, like many other highways in New Jersey, once had solar-powered emergency callboxes every one mile (1.6 km). With the advent of cellphones, the callboxes saw limited use. To save on maintenance costs, the New Jersey Department of Transportation removed the callboxes in 2005.[20]

On April 30, 2010, the New Jersey Department of Transportation started a project to repave the expressway both eastbound and westbound from just east of the turnpike overpasses near exit 7 in Robbinsville to exit 11 in Upper Freehold. This was completed in late 2010.[21]

From July 2009 until November 2014, the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) was widened with the construction of new outer roadways ("truck lanes") that extended the "dual-dual" roadways south to exit 6 in Mansfield Township from its former end at Exit 8A in Monroe Township. As part of this project, the overpasses carrying I-195 over the turnpike were reconstructed, the exit 7A toll gate was widened, and all the ramps connecting directly to the mainline of the turnpike were rebuilt which included building a new high-speed ramp over I-195 to enter the northbound lanes of the turnpike.[22][23][24]

 
View east along I-195 from its western terminus at I-295 in Hamilton

For about a decade, there was a plan to extend the designation of I-195 to the west in tandem with the rerouting of I-95 planned as part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project. Beginning in 2005, plans were made to extend I-195 west from its present-day western terminus along I-295 and I-95, continuing counterclockwise to the north, west, and south around Trenton to the new interchange.[17] I-295 would have been truncated to the current interchange with I-195. Officials from New Jersey and Pennsylvania had agreed to submit the I-195 request to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, as no route designation is official until approved by them.[25] Had it been approved, approximately 27.1 miles (43.6 km) would have been added to I-195.[26] Interchange renumbering would have also taken place in concert with the future I-195 designation in Pennsylvania and both the planned and current I-195 designation in New Jersey.[27] This proposal had received conditional approval from AASHTO.[28] However, on May 20, 2015, the original plan of extending I-295 west and south into Pennsylvania to the new interchange was approved instead, leaving the western terminus of I-195 at its current location.[29]

In 2018, the exit numbers at the interchanges for I-295 (exits 60A–B) and US 206 (exits 1A–B) were renumbered to exits 1A–B and exits 1C–D, respectively. This change was done as part of the I-95/I-295 redesignation project to match the milemarkers along I-195.[30]

Future

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In the late 1990s, the New Jersey Department of Transportation considered the possibility of widening I-195 to six lanes between the New Jersey Turnpike and CR 537 in order to accommodate traffic going to Six Flags.[31] The New Jersey Department of Transportation has revived the possibility, and has studied proposals to widen I-195 between CR 537 and the New Jersey Turnpike from four to six total lanes, eliminating the grass median in the process.[31]

Exit list

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CountyLocationmi[2]kmOld exitNew exitDestinationsNotes
MercerHamilton Township0.00.0 
  
  Route 29 north to Route 129 – Trenton		Continuation north
601A-B  
  I-295 to US 1 – Camden, Princeton		Partial cloverleaf interchange; signed as exits 1A (SOUTH) and 1B (NORTH); Exits 60A-B southbound, 60 northbound (I-295)
0.91.41A-B1C-D  US 206 – Bordentown, White HorseEastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exits 1C (SOUTH) and 1D (NORTH)
1.52.42S Broad St – Yardville (EB)
  US 206 / S Broad St, Arena Dr (WB)		US 206/South Broad Street/Arena Drive not signed eastbound; Yardville not signed westbound; access via CR 524 / CR 620
3.35.33Yardville, Hamilton SqSigned as exits 3A (Yardville) and 3B (Hamilton Square); access via Yardville-Hamilton Square Road
4.97.95  US 130 – New Brunswick, BordentownSigned as exits 5A (SOUTH) and 5B (NORTH)
Robbinsville Township6.210.06   I-95 / N.J. Turnpike – New York, CamdenExit 7A (I-95 / N.J. Turnpike)
7.311.77  CR 526 – Robbinsville, Allentown
Mercer–Monmouth
county line		Robbinsville–Upper Freehold
township line		8.513.78  CR 539 – Allentown, Hightstown
MonmouthUpper Freehold Township11.718.811Coxs Corner, ImlaystownAccess via CR 43
Monmouth–Ocean
county line		Millstone–Jackson
township line		16.726.916  CR 537 – Freehold, Six Flags, Mt HollySigned as exits 16A (WEST) and 16B (EAST) eastbound
OceanJackson Township21.033.821  
  CR 527 to CR 526 – Siloam, Jackson
22.936.922Georgia, Jackson MillsAccess via CR 638
MonmouthHowell Township27.143.628  US 9 – Lakewood, FreeholdSigned as exits 28A (SOUTH) and 28B (NORTH)
31.550.731  
  
  CR 547 to CR 524 / CR 549 – Lakewood, Farmingdale, Allaire State Pk		Signed as exits 31A (SOUTH) and (NORTH)
Wall Township34.154.935  
 
  Route 34 to G.S. Parkway south – Matawan, Brielle, Pt Pleasant		Signed as exits 35A (SOUTH) and 35B (NORTH)
 
  G.S. Parkway north
 
  Route 138 east – Belmar		Continuation east
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Interstate 195 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  3. ^ DeNicola, Linda. "Red Cross urges residents to heed hurricane warnings". Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Overview Map of I-195" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  5. ^ "Directions to the Restaurant / Golf Club". The Greens Restaurant & Banquet Hall. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  6. ^ Kahn, Eve M. (September 13, 1991). "Great Adventure: Highs and Lows". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  7. ^ Proposed Trenton-Asbury Park Expresseway. New Jersey State Highway Department. August 1964.
  8. ^ Plans for a Central Jersey Expressway System. New Jersey State Highway Department. 1965.
  9. ^ Route 37 Freeway Relocation Study. New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1967.
  10. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  11. ^ New Jersey Highway Facts. New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1967.
  12. ^ General Drafting (1970). Map of New Jersey (Map). Esso.
  13. ^ General Drafting (1973). Pennsylvania (Map). Exxon.
  14. ^ Narvaez, Alfonso A. (September 2, 1979). "State to Winnow Highway Program; State to Winnow Highway Projects" (Fee required). The New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  15. ^ a b Rand McNally (1983). State Farm Road Atlas. State Farm Insurance.[page needed]
  16. ^ Rand McNally (1996). United States–Canada–Mexico Road Atlas. Chicago: Rand McNally.[page needed]
  17. ^ a b Frassinelli, Mike (September 7, 2010). "N.J., Pennsylvania officials plan to close longtime gap on Route 95". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
  18. ^ "Today in Interstate History". American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2006.
  19. ^ "I-195 Improvements End Great Adventure Backups". Asbury Park Press. July 17, 1997.
  20. ^ Barlas, Thomas (February 28, 2007). "Last call for N.J.'s roadside call boxes". The Press of Atlantic City.
  21. ^ "Expect Delays on I-195 in Upper Freehold". Examiner. May 6, 2010. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  22. ^ "Widening Program Overview". New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  23. ^ "Brief Overview Central Jersey Transportation Forum July 20, 2006 Meeting" (PDF). Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. July 20, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  24. ^ Gov. Christie, NJDOT Commissioner FoxPraise $2.3 Billion NJ Turnpike Infrastructure Investment Project Archived 2014-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Accessed November 3, 2014. "The Widening Program created a three-lane Outer Roadway in each direction over the 25 miles between Interchange 6 in Mansfield Township, Burlington County, and Interchange 8A in Monroe Township, Middlesex County."
  25. ^ "Design Advisory Committee Meeting #2 Summary" (PDF). PA Turnpike / I-95 Interchange Project. September 14, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
  26. ^ "Overview Map of I-195 Extension" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  27. ^ Design Management Team. Exit renumbering. Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project. The re-designation of I-95 and a portion of I-295 in New Jersey as I-195, necessitated when the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes are designated as I-95, will indeed require new exit numbers on those interstates as well as the existing stretch of I-195 in New Jersey. This action, which is still approximately 5-6 years away since the new connection between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike needs to be constructed, was acknowledged by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in their support of the re-numbering request to the Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Details regarding interim exit numbering and public relations efforts at that time are not available, but will be determined as the project moves forward.
  28. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (May 5, 2007). "Report of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  29. ^ Nadeau, Gregory G. (May 20, 2015). "FHWA to AASHTO I-95 Designation" (PDF). Letter to Bud Wright. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  30. ^ "I-95/I-295 Signing Redesignation Project Overview". New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  31. ^ a b Sapia, Joseph (August 2, 1996). "Expansion of I-195 Gets Look from DOT". Asbury Park Press.
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