Editing New Jersey Route 33 (section)

==History==
[[File:2020-09-15 09 20 45 View west along New Jersey State Route 33 (Freehold Bypass) at the exit for Monmouth County Route 537 EAST (TO U.S. Route 9 NORTH, The Amboys, Newark) in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.jpg|right|thumb|Route&nbsp;33 westbound at CR&nbsp;537, on the older four-lane Freehold Bypass]]
West of Robbinsville, the road was maintained by the '''Trenton and Allentown Turnpike''', which was chartered in 1856; east of Robbinsville, the [[Toll road|turnpike]] followed modern-day CR&nbsp;526 to [[Allentown, New Jersey|Allentown]]. From the border of Manalapan and Millstone townships east to the intersection with Woodward Road, the road was maintained by the [[Manalapan and Patton's Corner Turnpike]]; the road from there to Freehold was maintained as the '''Freehold and Manalapan Turnpike''', chartered in 1858. The Freehold and Manalapan bought the portion of the Manalapan and Patton's Corner now signed Route&nbsp;33. In addition, a small portion of the Englishtown and Millstone Turnpike was built along Route&nbsp;33 from CR&nbsp;527A west to Millstone Road, though this was overtaken in the construction of the '''Freehold and Manalapan Turnpike''', chartered in 1866 to connect Freehold and Manalapan. From Freehold to Jerseyville, what is now Bus. Route&nbsp;33 was maintained by the '''Freehold and Jerseyville Turnpike''', chartered in 1866.

Route&nbsp;33 originally was part of two auto trails: the Cranbury Trail, an alternative to the Lincoln Trail running from New Brunswick to Trenton; and the Jersey Link, running from Hightstown to Ocean Grove.<ref>{{Cite map |title = Rand McNally official 1920 auto trails map, New York City and vicinity. |url = https://www.loc.gov/item/88695915/ |access-date = June 30, 2022 |via = Library of Congress }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Cn0AAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA8-PA17 |title = Motorcycle Illustrated |date = 1921 |publisher = Motorcycle Publishing Company |language = en }}</ref> These routes were incorporated in 1916 into two new routes: [[New Jersey Route 1|Route&nbsp;1]] in parts of the road south of [[Hightstown, New Jersey|Hightstown]], and [[New Jersey Route 7 (1920s)|Route&nbsp;7]] from Hightstown to its terminus at Route&nbsp;71. Both roads were changed into Route&nbsp;33 in the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]].<ref name="sld05">{{cite web |author = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] |url = http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000033__-.pdf |title = Route 33 Straight Line Diagram from 2005 |access-date = August 26, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031029054039/http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000033__-.pdf |archive-date = October 29, 2003 }}</ref>

Route&nbsp;33 was originally planned as a [[Controlled-access highway|freeway]] from [[U.S. Route 1 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;1]] in Trenton across New Jersey to [[New Jersey Route 18|Route&nbsp;18]] in [[Neptune Township, New Jersey|Neptune]]. However, in 1967, the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] scaled back proposals to the current {{convert|7|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} Route 33. Route 33 from near CR&nbsp;527 in Manalapan to Halls Mill Road in Freehold Township was completed and opened in segments from 1971 to 1988.<ref name="Bypass2">{{cite press release |url = http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2003/011603.shtm |title = Route&nbsp;33 Bypass to open January 17, 2003 |publisher = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] |date = January 16, 2003 |access-date = June 14, 2007 }}</ref>

Route&nbsp;33 has three abandoned segments. The first of these is the cloverleaf ramp from [[New Jersey Route 79|Route&nbsp;79]] southbound to Route&nbsp;33 eastbound. It has been mostly demolished to make way for a new reverse jughandle for [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]] northbound to Schanck Road. The merging part of the ramp still remains abandoned along the right side of the eastbound freeway.<ref name="mq1">{{cite web |author = [[Mapquest]] |url = http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=Us%20Highway%209%20%26%20Schanck%20Rd&city=Freehold&state=NJ&zipcode=07728&country=US&title=%3cb%20class%3d%22fn%20org%22%3eUs%20Highway%209%20%26amp%3b%20Schanck%20Rd%3c%2fb%3e%3cbr%20%2f%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22locality%22%3eFreehold%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22region%22%3eNJ%3c%2fspan%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22postal%2dcode%22%3e07728%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22country%2dname%22%3eUS%3c%2fspan%3e%3c%2fspan%3e&cid=lfmaplink2&name=&dtype=a |title = View of Route 33/Route 79 interchange |access-date = August 26, 2007 }}</ref>

The original alignment for the freeway east of Halls Mill Road ([[List of county routes in Monmouth County, New Jersey#55|CR&nbsp;55]]) can be seen now as a New Jersey Department of Transportation maintenance shed. The new alignment curves to the left after the interchange, in order to avoid what the New Jersey Department of Transportation believed to be a suspected (but never identified) turtle bog habitat. The pavement is accessible from the eastbound on-ramp, but is fenced off.<ref name="mq2">{{cite web |author = [[Mapquest]] |url = http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=Okerson%20Rd%20%26%20Halls%20Mill%20Rd&city=Freehold&state=NJ&zipcode=07728&country=US&title=%3cb%20class%3d%22fn%20org%22%3eOkerson%20Rd%20%26amp%3b%20Halls%20Mill%20Rd%3c%2fb%3e%3cbr%20%2f%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22locality%22%3eFreehold%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22region%22%3eNJ%3c%2fspan%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22postal%2dcode%22%3e07728%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22country%2dname%22%3eUS%3c%2fspan%3e%3c%2fspan%3e&cid=lfmaplink2&name=&dtype=a |title = View of Route 33/County Route 55 interchange |access-date = August 26, 2007 }}</ref>

Up until late 1988, Route&nbsp;33 westbound ran underneath US&nbsp;130, then merged with US&nbsp;130's southbound lanes. This was because Route&nbsp;33 ran parallel to [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] [[United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company#Camden and Amboy: 1830-1834|Camden & Amboy route]] at that point, requiring a massive concrete overpass. (Route&nbsp;33 eastbound also ascended the bridge approach about halfway before branching off like an exit ramp—a sign with flashing lights read "Hightstown, Shore Points" at the fork.) Pennsylvania Railroad abandoned the Hightstown–Windsor segment in 1967, reducing the importance of the hulking bridge. The New Jersey Department of Transportation eventually demolished the crumbling structure in 1989. Route&nbsp;33 now meets US&nbsp;130 at the north end of the overlap with a traffic signal.

In 2001, the Freehold Bypass was designated as the Theodore J. Narozanick Highway.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2001/062701c.shtm |title = DiFrancesco Signs Bill Designating the Route 33 Bypass, 'Theodore J. Narozanick Highway' }}</ref>

The remainder of Route 33 east to Fairfield Road/Brickyard Road in Howell was not completed until 2003.<ref name="Bypass2">{{cite press release |url = http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2003/011603.shtm |title = Route&nbsp;33 Bypass to open January 17, 2003 |publisher = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] |date = January 16, 2003 |access-date = June 14, 2007 }}</ref> The project cost $33.7 million in 2003 (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|33700000|2003}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}).<ref name="Bypass2"/>

Until 2003, the intersection of US&nbsp;130/Route&nbsp;33 in Robbinsville was configured as an at-grade wye interchange, employing curved ramps for the directional movements. The junction has since been modified to a signalized intersection with ordinary turning lanes.

[[File:Howell Exit.jpg|left|thumb|Route&nbsp;33 eastbound at the Howell Road exit ramp, which has been abandoned]]
The eastbound Howell road exit ramp, which began construction in 2003, was found to be erroneously placed, possibly confusing drivers on Howell Road. An attempt was made to realign the ramp, though this failed, and the exit was abandoned shortly after, and is still inaccessible and rarely maintained.<ref>{{Cite news|first = Larry |last = Higgs |title = N.J. ramp to nowhere called $1.7 million embarassment |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/15/ramp-to-nowhere-howell-new-jersey/2084427/ |access-date = January 11, 2024 |newspaper = USA Today |language = en-US }}</ref> Because of this, the ramp has since remains barricaded off, slowly decaying.<ref name="mq3">{{cite web |author = [[Mapquest]] |url = http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=Howell%20Rd%20%26%20Vanderveer%20Rd&city=Freehold&state=NJ&zipcode=07728&country=US&title=%3cb%20class%3d%22fn%20org%22%3eHowell%20Rd%20%26amp%3b%20Vanderveer%20Rd%3c%2fb%3e%3cbr%20%2f%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22locality%22%3eFreehold%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22region%22%3eNJ%3c%2fspan%3e%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22postal%2dcode%22%3e07728%3c%2fspan%3e%2c%20%20%3cspan%20style%3d%22display%3ainline%3bmargin%2dbottom%3a0px%3b%22%20class%3d%22country |title = Howell Road interchange |access-date = August 26, 2007 }}</ref>

A bridge once carried Route&nbsp;33 over the same Pennsylvania Railroad (now [[Conrail Shared Assets Operations]]) line further south in Robbinsville. The New Jersey Department of Transportation replaced the overpass with a wider, linear roadway in 2009. As the Conrail Shared Assets Operations line was dormant, no [[Level crossing|railroad street]] crossing was installed. Trackage was dismantled two years later in 2011 in between Robbinsville and East Windsor.

The interchange with US 130 was rebuilt from a T-intersection to a four-way in 2009, with the construction of a new road on the southeast side of US&nbsp;130.

On December 31, 2006, the [[New Jersey Turnpike Authority]] released its proposals regarding exit&nbsp;8 on the [[New Jersey Turnpike]]. The old exit&nbsp;8 was to be demolished and replaced with a new interchange. The new exit&nbsp;8 would end at the intersection with Route&nbsp;33, Milford Road, and [[New Jersey Route 133|Route&nbsp;133]] (on the east side of the expressway, instead of the west). This new exit&nbsp;8 would grant direct access to the bypass (without going through any traffic lights), as well as to Route&nbsp;33, using grade-separated interchanges. The new toll gate was to feature a total of 10&nbsp;lanes at the new facility.<ref name="NJ.com">{{cite news |url = http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-2/116762800881490.xml&coll=5 |title = = Pike plan raises concern |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070103052016/http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-2%2F116762800881490.xml&coll=5 |archive-date = January 3, 2007 |newspaper = [[The Trenton Times]] |date = January 1, 2007 }}</ref> The new interchange opened in January 2013.