Editing New Jersey Route 18 (section)

==Route description==

===Monmouth County===
Route 18 begins at a partial-cloverleaf interchange with [[New Jersey Route 138|Route&nbsp;138]] in [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]]. At the southern end of the interchange, the right-of-way and [[Unused highway|unused pavement]] for the southern extension is visible along with the former on-ramp from Route&nbsp;138 to Route&nbsp;18 northbound. The highway heads northward as a four-lane [[Controlled-access highway|freeway]], crossing under Route&nbsp;138. Route&nbsp;18 intersects Route&nbsp;138 westbound and Monmouth Boulevard, a local road in [[New Bedford, New Jersey|New Bedford]]. Route&nbsp;18 then crosses under Monmouth Boulevard and Belmar Boulevard ([[County Route 18 (Monmouth County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;18]]) in the community of [[Glendola, New Jersey|Glendola]]. The route continues through Glendola, and intersects Brighton Avenue (exits&nbsp;7A and 7B southbound). The freeway continues south of the Shark River Golf Course, through Neptune, paralleling Brighton Avenue, and intersects [[New Jersey Route 33|Route&nbsp;33]] and West Sylvania Avenue ([[County Route 17 (Monmouth County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;17]]) at exit&nbsp;8. Although signed as exit&nbsp;8 northbound, the interchange is divided into exits&nbsp;8A and 8B heading southbound. The roadway crosses into [[Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey|Ocean Township]] and crosses under West Bangs Avenue (CR&nbsp;17). In [[Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey|Ocean Township]], there are exits for [[New Jersey Route 66|Route&nbsp;66]] and Asbury Avenue, Deal Road, and West Park Avenue. Farther north, the highway enters [[Eatontown, New Jersey|Eatontown]].<ref name="bing">{{cite map|title=Overview map of Route 18|publisher=Bing Maps/Microsoft Incorporated|url=http://www.maps.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH8#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|year=2009|cartography=[[Navteq]] Inc.|access-date=December 13, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309043423/http://www.maps.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH8#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#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|archive-date=March 9, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

[[File:2018-05-26 09 48 36 View north along New Jersey State Route 18 just north of Exit 25 in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.jpg|left|thumb|Route 18 northbound past the Route 79 interchange in Marlboro Township]]
A large interchange near the [[Naval Weapons Station Earle]] serves Industrial Way West, Wyckoff Road ([[County Route 547 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;547]]), [[New Jersey Route 36|Route&nbsp;36]], Hope Road ([[County Route 51 (Monmouth County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;51]]), the [[Garden State Parkway]], the Tinton Falls interchange (exit&nbsp;105), and Wayside Road ([[County Route 38 (Monmouth County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;38]]). After passing over the [[Southern Secondary]] railroad line operated by the [[Delaware and Raritan River Railroad]], the route continues northwestward into [[Colts Neck Township, New Jersey|Colts Neck]]. The freeway continues to the northwest through wooded land for several miles, crossing over Normandy Road and to the south of the Pebble Creek Golf Club. Exits along this stretch include [[New Jersey Route 34|Route&nbsp;34]], Colts Neck Road ([[County Route 537 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;537]]), [[New Jersey Route 79|Route&nbsp;79]], [[County Route 520 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;520]], and Tennent Road ([[County Route 3 (Monmouth County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;3]]), which connects to [[Freehold Borough, New Jersey|Freehold Borough]] and [[Marlboro Township, New Jersey|Marlboro Township]].<ref name="bing" />

=== Middlesex County ===
[[File:2020-09-14 13 35 10 View south along New Jersey State Route 18 at the north edge of the Rutgers University campus in Piscataway Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.jpg|right|thumb|Signage for [[Rutgers University]] campuses along Route 18 southbound in [[Piscataway, New Jersey|Piscataway]]]]
After entering Middlesex County, Route&nbsp;18 continues north as a freeway, entering [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]]. After interchanging with [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]] (exit&nbsp;30), the freeway ends, and the route becomes an [[arterial road]] through a mostly wooded commercial stretch of [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]]. The route crosses several roads in this area. It then passes under Old Bridge-Matawan Road ([[County Route 516 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;516]] and [[County Route 527 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;527]]), but has no northbound interchange to connect with them; motorists have to travel through a residential area to access these roads. On the southbound side, motorists can use a cloverleaf or Englishtown Road. Route&nbsp;18 then crosses the [[South River (Raritan River tributary)|South River]] into [[East Brunswick, New Jersey|East Brunswick]] and passes over [[Conrail Shared Assets Operations]]' (CSAO) [[Amboy Secondary]] before interchanging with Main Street ([[County Route 615 (Middlesex County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;615]]), which also connects to CR&nbsp;527.<ref name="bing" />

Route 18 then continues through the heavily developed commercial corridor of East Brunswick, intersecting with Rues Lane ([[List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey|CR&nbsp;617]])  and passing near [[Brunswick Square (shopping mall)|Brunswick Square Mall]]. After the interchanges with Cranbury Road ([[County Route 535 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;535]]) and Milltown Road ([[County Route 606 (Middlesex County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;606]]), Route&nbsp;18 passes over CSAO's Bonhamtown Industrial Track line and intersects West Ferris Street, West Prospect Street, Tices Lane, and then meets the intersection with (Old Bridge Turnpike (CR&nbsp;527) at Edgeboro Road. Following an intersection with Eggers Street, Route&nbsp;18 crosses over the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|I-95]]) at exit&nbsp;9, becoming a six-lane [[limited-access road|expressway]]. The road intersects with Tower Center Boulevard before crossing into [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]] at Lawrence Brook.<ref name="bing" />

[[File:2021-07-30 15 13 29 View north along New Jersey State Route 18 (Elmer Boyd Memorial Parkway) from the overpass for New Street in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey.jpg|left|thumb|Route&nbsp;18 northbound at New Street in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]]]]
The interchange with [[U.S. Route 1 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;1]] is followed by an intersection at Paulus Boulevard before becoming a six-lane freeway and separating into a local–express configuration and paralleling the [[Raritan River]], passing the former [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]] city docks. Local exits include George Street ([[New Jersey Route 172|Route&nbsp;172]]), the Rutgers University boathouse and [[Elmer B. Boyd Park]], Paul Robeson Boulevard (formerly Commercial Avenue), New Street, and Albany Street ([[New Jersey Route 27|Route&nbsp;27]]), after which the express and local lanes merge back together and cross under the [[Raritan River Bridge]] carrying [[Amtrak]]'s [[Northeast Corridor]]. The freeway continues with exits for George Street, Rutgers (for access to the College Avenue Campus) and Easton Avenue before exiting [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]] on the [[John A. Lynch Sr. Memorial Bridge]] over the [[Raritan River]].<ref name="bing" />

[[File:NJ 18 NB past New Street.jpeg|thumb|right|Route 18 northbound past New Street in New Brunswick]]
The highway then intersects River Road ([[County Route 622 (Middlesex County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;622]]), Campus Road (Rutgers' [[Busch Campus of Rutgers University|Busch Campus]] and [[SHI Stadium|stadium]]), Metlars Lane (Rutgers' [[Livingston Campus (Rutgers University)|Livingston Campus]] and [[Rutgers Athletic Center]]), where the route curves to the west and becomes Hoes Lane. As Hoes Lane, Route&nbsp;18 becomes a four-lane arterial road and passes Resurrection Cemetery of the [[Diocese of Metuchen]], as well as the post office and township hall of [[Piscataway, New Jersey|Piscataway]], before reaching an intersection with Centennial Avenue. Route&nbsp;18 turns on Centennial Avenue and continues for about {{convert|0.3|mi|km}} to a traffic signal for Possumtown Road. From this intersection, Route 18&nbsp;is considered to exist both on Centennial Avenue and Possumtown Road, and ends in each case at the respective entrance ramps for [[Interstate 287]].{{#tag:ref|The signage reads "NJ 18" on both Centennial Avenue and Possumtown Road. However, in the straight-line diagrams, the stretch of {{convert|0.2|mi|km}} on Possumtown Road is designated as "NJ 18 Spur".<ref name="sld" /><ref>{{cite web|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation |url=https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000018S_-.pdf |title=Route 18 Spur straight line diagram |date=March 2019 |access-date=March 30, 2020}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name="slds"}}