Editing New Jersey Route 47 (section)

== History ==
[[File:NJ S49 (cutout).svg|thumb|right|100px|Route S49 (1927-1953)]]
The portion of Route 47 south of Port Elizabeth was a part of the Cohanseu trail, a Lenape trail running from [[Swedesboro, New Jersey|Swedesboro]] to [[Cape May, New Jersey|Cape May]].<ref>Snyder, John (1969). "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries 1606-1968"</ref> North of Port Elizabeth, the road was maintained by several [[toll road|turnpikes]]: the '''Westville and Glassboro Turnpike''', chartered in 1852, following Tanyard Road and Woodbury Road south of [[Deptford Township, New Jersey|New Sharon]]; the '''Glassboro and Malaga Turnpike''', chartered in 1851; the '''Millville and Malaga Turnpike''', chartered in 1852; and the '''Port Elizabeth and Millville Turnpike''', chartered in 1852. The modern road north of Port Elizabeth and from Dennisville to Goshen was incorporated into the Cape May Way, an auto trail running from Camden to Cape May.<ref>Rand McNally and Co. "Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, South East Michigan, Southern Ontario, Western New York: District No. 4". ''Rand McNally Official Auto Trails Map'', 3rd ed., 1924, pp. 168-169. ''David Rumsey Historical Map Collection'', David Rumsey (curator), Cartography Associates, Accessed Nov 4, 2019, www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~201570~3000600:Auto-Trails-Map--Pennsylvania,-New-.</ref>

[[File:2020-09-02 14 36 02 View south along New Jersey State Route 47 (Delsea Drive) just north of New Jersey State Route 347 in Maurice River Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|Route 47 southbound approaching split with Route 347 in Maurice River Township]]
The road was originally designated as a segment of [[Pre-1927 Route 15 (New Jersey)|pre-1927 Route 15]] between Rio Grande and Millville in 1917, and as one of two branches of [[Pre-1927 Route 20 (New Jersey)|pre-1927 Route 20]] between Millville and Westville in 1923.<ref name="1920r15">{{cite report|title=1917 Annual Report|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|date=1917}}</ref><ref name="1920r20">{{cite report|title=1923 Annual Report|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|date=1923}}</ref> In the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route 47 was legislated to run from [[New Jersey Route 50|Route 50]] in [[Tuckahoe, New Jersey|Tuckahoe]] to Brooklawn, following present-day Route 49 between Tuckahoe and Millville and its current alignment north of Millville. Meanwhile, the present-day alignment of Route 47 between the current intersection of Route 83 in South Dennis and Millville was designated a part of Route 49 while the current alignment between South Dennis and US 9/[[New Jersey Route 4|Route 4]] in Rio Grande became Route S49, a spur of Route 49.<ref name="nj1927">State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.</ref><ref name="Map">{{cite map|url=http://www.jimmyandsharonwilliams.com/njroads/1920s/images/1927_routes.gif|title=1927 New Jersey Road Map|publisher=State of New Jersey|access-date=2008-10-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313112746/http://jimmyandsharonwilliams.com/njroads/1920s/images/1927_routes.gif|archive-date=2016-03-13}}</ref> In 1933, the [[New Jersey Legislature]] named Route 47 as "Delsea Drive" after a reporter for the ''[[Woodbury Times]]'' joked how the road connected the DELaware River to the Atlantic SEA.<ref name="wt">{{cite web |url=http://www.twp.washington.nj.us/content/69/93/default.aspx |title=Little Known Facts |publisher=[[Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey]] |access-date=2010-05-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412154921/http://twp.washington.nj.us/content/69/93/default.aspx |archive-date=2010-04-12 }}</ref> Route S49 was extended from Rio Grande to Park Boulevard in Wildwood in 1938.<ref name="nj1938">State of New Jersey, Laws of 1938, Chapter 168.</ref> In the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route 47 and Route 49 switched alignments south and east of Millville and Route 47 replaced Route S49 south to Wildwood.<ref name="nj1953">{{Cite journal|title=1953 renumbering|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1953_New_Jersey_state_highway_renumbering|publisher=New Jersey Department of Highways|access-date=July 31, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628183145/http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1953_New_Jersey_state_highway_renumbering|archive-date=June 28, 2011}}</ref><ref name="nyt1953">{{cite news|access-date=2009-07-20|title=New Road Signs Ready in New Jersey|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 16, 1952 |url=http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/6933/19521216newroadsignsreaiu6.jpg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721112422/http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/6933/19521216newroadsignsreaiu6.jpg|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2011}}</ref>

[[File:2021-08-31 11 35 57 View south along New Jersey State Route 47 (Wildwood Boulevard) from the overpass for New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) in Middle Township, Cape May County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|Route 47 southbound at the Garden State Parkway interchange in Middle Township]]
By the 1980s, Route 47 was moved from High Street to North 2nd Street through the northern part of Millville.<ref name="esso">{{cite map|publisher=[[Esso]]|title= Map of New Jersey |year=1970|cartography=[[General Drafting]]}}</ref><ref name="statefarm">{{cite map|publisher=[[State Farm Insurance]]|title= State Farm Road Atlas |year=1983|cartography=[[Rand McNally]]}}</ref> An alternate route of Route 47 was eventually created to the east along county routes in Cape May and Cumberland counties; this eventually became [[New Jersey Route 347|Route 347]] by the 1990s.<ref name="statefarm"/><ref name="rm">{{cite map|publisher=[[Rand McNally]]|title=United States-Canada-Mexico Road Atlas|year=1996}}</ref>

In the 2000s, Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood received improvements to make it reminisce the [[Googie architecture|doo wop]] atmosphere the beach resort is known for.<ref name=tcp>{{cite news |last=Sokolic|first=William H.|access-date=2009-09-15|title=Wildwood communities experiencing rebirth|newspaper=[[The Courier-Post]] |date=June 10, 2001|url=http://www.southjerseynews.com/shore/profiles/m061001e.htm}}</ref>

The Route 47 bridge over Dennis Creek in Dennis Township and the intersection of Route 83 received improvements that were completed in July 2007. The Route 47 bridge over the creek was structurally deficient and in need of replacing. The job was completed with wider shoulders and a wider sidewalk on the new bridge. The intersection between Route 47 and Route 83 was also realigned and had signals installed.<ref name=cmch>{{cite news|access-date=2008-11-05|title=Dennis Road Project Finally Done|newspaper=[[Cape May County Herald]]|date=July 25, 2007|url=http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/7398-dennis-road-project-finally-done|archive-date=2011-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717015125/http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/7398-dennis-road-project-finally-done|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2018, a $10 million construction project began to improve the section of Route 47 along Rio Grande Avenue at the entrance to Wildwood, which added a center left-turn lane, raised the road by {{convert|30|in|cm}}, and added new lighting and signs. The project was completed in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|last=Carroll|first=Lauren|title=Wildwood to resume construction on Rio Grande Avenue next week|work=The Press of Atlantic City|date=September 20, 2019|url= https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/wildwood-to-resume-construction-on-rio-grande-avenue-next-week/article_f3868907-027c-5b6d-b9c8-b29598ae6227.html#1|access-date=February 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rogish|first=Rachel|title=Co. Engineer Gives Rio Grande Avenue Update|work=Cape May County Herald|date=March 27, 2019|url= https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/news/government/article_02e0c3d0-50bb-11e9-a509-eb70fb5f4d05.html|access-date=February 29, 2020}}</ref> A dedication ceremony marking the completion of the project was held on July 1, 2020, with local officials in attendance. As part of the project, Rio Grande Avenue leading into Wildwood was to be renamed to Beach Ball Boulevard following a contest to rename the roadway.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Franklin|first1=Chris|last2=Hawk|first2=Tim|title=Wildwood unveils $13.7M road improvements for 'Beach Ball Boulevard'|publisher=NJ.com|date=July 1, 2020|url=https://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/2020/07/wildwood-unveils-new-137m-road-improvements-and-a-new-name-beach-ball-boulevard.html|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref> However, on July 10, 2020, it was announced that the Wildwood city commissioners decided to keep the road name as Rio Grande Avenue after receiving input from residents that the road name should not change.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wildwood to Keep Rio Grande Avenue|work=Cape May County Herald|date=July 10, 2020|url=https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/news/government/article_318c4e5c-c2e8-11ea-9a35-03c87b231979.html|access-date=July 10, 2020}}</ref>