Editing New Jersey Route 3

{{Short description|State highway in New Jersey, US}}
{{about|the current New Jersey Route 3|the Route 3 that existed before 1927|U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{redirect-synonym|NJ 3|New Jersey's 3rd congressional district}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=3
|alternate_name=
|length_mi=10.84
|length_ref=<ref name=SLD>{{cite web|publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000003__-.pdf|title=Route 3 straight line diagram|access-date=March 17, 2020}}</ref>
|map={{maplink-road|type2=line|from2=New Jersey Route 3.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Map of northeast New Jersey with NJ&nbsp;3 in red and former NJ&nbsp;153 in pink
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|US|46|CR|621|county2=Passaic}} in [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]]
|junction=
* {{jct|state=NJ|GSP2}} in Clifton
* {{jct|state=NJ|NJ|21}} in Clifton
* {{jct|state=NJ|CR|507}} in [[Lyndhurst, New Jersey|Lyndhurst]]
* {{jct|state=NJ|NJ|17}} in [[Rutherford, New Jersey|Rutherford]]
* {{jct|state=NJ|I-Toll|95|NJTP2||NJ|120}} in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]]
* {{jct|state=NJ|I-Toll|95|NJTP2}} in [[Secaucus, New Jersey|Secaucus]]
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|US|1-9|NJ|495}} in [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]]
|established=1927
|counties=[[Passaic County, New Jersey|Passaic]], [[Bergen County, New Jersey|Bergen]], [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson]]
|previous_type=NJ-old
|previous_route=2
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=4
|browse={{nj browse
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=152
|route=Route&nbsp;153
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=154
}}
}}
'''Route&nbsp;3''' is a [[List of state highways in New Jersey|state highway]] in the northeastern part of [[New Jersey]]. The route runs {{convert|10.84|mi|km|2}} from [[U.S. Route&nbsp;46]] (US&nbsp;46) in [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]], [[Passaic County, New Jersey|Passaic County]], to [[U.S. Route 1/9|US&nbsp;1/9]] in [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]], [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson County]]. The route intersects many major roads, including US&nbsp;46, which takes travelers to [[Interstate 80 in New Jersey|Interstate&nbsp;80]] (I-80) west for commuting out of the city-area, the [[Garden State Parkway]] and [[New Jersey Route 21|Route&nbsp;21]] in [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]], [[New Jersey Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]] and the Western Spur of the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|I-95]]) in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]], the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (also I-95) in Secaucus, and [[New Jersey Route 495|Route&nbsp;495]] in North Bergen, for traffic going to the [[Lincoln Tunnel]] into [[New York City]]. Route&nbsp;3 serves as the main artery to the Lincoln Tunnel from I-80, in conjunction with a portion of US&nbsp;46 and Route&nbsp;495. Portions of the route are not up to [[freeway]] standards; with driveways serving businesses and bus stops. Despite this, many construction projects have been underway over the years to alleviate this issue. Route&nbsp;3 also provided access to [[Roche|Hoffmann La Roche]]'s former American headquarters in [[Nutley, New Jersey|Nutley]], the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]] and [[American Dream Meadowlands|American Dream]] in East Rutherford. The road inspired a story in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' in 2004 by [[Ian Frazier]] due to its views of the [[Manhattan]] skyline. Route&nbsp;3 was originally the [[New Jersey Route 495|Lincoln Tunnel Approach]] and ended at the state line in the [[Hudson River]], though it was scaled back following the construction of I-495; which is now Route&nbsp;495 due to also not meeting interstate highway standards.

Route&nbsp;3 was originally established in 1927 to run from the [[New York (state)|New York]] state line on the west shore of [[Greenwood Lake]] to Secaucus. In 1929, the western terminus was cut back to [[Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]] when the alignment west of there was planned to become part of [[New Jersey Route S4B|Route&nbsp;S4B]]. Route&nbsp;3 originally followed present-day [[New Jersey Route 20|Route&nbsp;20]] through Paterson and ran along local streets to East Rutherford, where it followed present-day [[New Jersey Route 120|Route&nbsp;120]] and [[Paterson Plank Road]] to Secaucus. It was extended east to the Lincoln Tunnel in 1939. The section of Route&nbsp;3 between US&nbsp;46 in Clifton and East Rutherford was completed in the 1940s as '''Route&nbsp;S3''' as well as the Secaucus Bypass, which was designated a bypass of Route&nbsp;3. Route&nbsp;3 was moved to the Route&nbsp;S3 freeway and the Secaucus Bypass in 1953 and was truncated to US&nbsp;1/9 in North Bergen in 1959 when the Lincoln Tunnel approach was designated as [[Interstate 495 (New Jersey)|I-495]]. The Route&nbsp;3 freeway has seen many improvements over the years, such as widening and interchange reconstructions. It underwent a major reconstruction, completed in 2016, to modern highway standards with bridge replacements, including a new [[Passaic River]] bridge between [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]] and [[New Jersey Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]] in [[Rutherford, New Jersey|Rutherford]].

==Route description==

[[File:2021-07-31 14 30 26 View west along New Jersey State Route 3 from the overpass for northbound New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) in Clifton, Passaic County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|Route&nbsp;3 westbound at the Garden State Parkway interchange in Clifton]]
Route&nbsp;3 heads to the southeast, from an interchange with [[U.S. Route 46|US&nbsp;46]] and Valley Road ([[County Route 621 (Passaic County, New Jersey)|County Route 621]] [CR&nbsp;621]) as a six-lane [[arterial road]] with a [[jersey barrier]]. It is not up to [[freeway]] standards, as it contains a few businesses with [[right-in/right-out]] access.<ref name=gm>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-46+%26+RT-3,+Clifton,+Passaic,+New+Jersey+07013&daddr=route+3+and+route+1+north+bergen+nj&hl=en&geocode=&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=40.822024,-74.115775&sspn=0.115614,0.219727&ie=UTF8&ll=40.822643,-74.116173&spn=0.115613,0.219727&t=h&z=12 |title=overview of New Jersey Route 3 |access-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref> The route intersects Grove Street ([[County Route 623 (Passaic County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;623]]) and Broad Street ([[County Route 509 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;509]]), then the [[Garden State Parkway]], where it passes south of the Allwood Road Park & Ride, a [[park and ride]] lot serving [[NJ Transit]] buses. All interchange movements are present between Route&nbsp;3 and the Garden State Parkway, except from the southbound Garden State Parkway to westbound Route&nbsp;3 and from eastbound Route&nbsp;3 to the northbound Garden State Parkway.<ref name=SLD/>

Past the Garden State Parkway, Route&nbsp;3 intersects Bloomfield Avenue ([[County Route 622 (Passaic County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;622]]), before it passes over [[Norfolk Southern]]'s Newark Industrial Track line and intersects Passaic Avenue ([[County Route 603 (Passaic County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;603]]), which heads south into [[Nutley, New Jersey|Nutley]] to become [[New Jersey Route 7|Route&nbsp;7]]. The next interchange is for Main Avenue ([[County Route 601 (Passaic County, New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;601]]). Past that interchange, Route&nbsp;3 passes over NJ Transit's [[Main Line (NJ Transit)|Main Line]] and comes to an interchange with [[New Jersey Route 21|Route&nbsp;21]] before passing over the route and becoming a six-lane freeway.<ref name=SLD/>

[[File:2018-07-20 18 01 48 View east along New Jersey State Route 3 (Secaucus Bypass) just east of New Jersey State Route 17 in Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey.jpg|right|thumb|Route&nbsp;3 eastbound past Route&nbsp;17 in Rutherford]]
Route&nbsp;3 crosses the [[Passaic River]] on a [[Bridge#Fixed or movable bridges|fixed bridge]], which replaced a double-leaf trunnion [[bascule bridge]] in 2013, into [[Rutherford, New Jersey|Rutherford]], [[Bergen County, New Jersey|Bergen County]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/><ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Greenberg |title=Route 3 project will be completed spring 2014 |url= http://www.northjersey.com/news/191346441_Route_3_project_will_be_completed_spring_2014.html?page=all|publisher=nj.com |newspaper=Clifton Journal |date=February 15, 2013 |access-date=October 10, 2013}}</ref> Just after crossing the river, the route intersects Riverside Avenue ([[County Route 507 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;507]]). The freeway continues through a residential area and comes to an exit that provides access to southbound [[New Jersey Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]]. Past this interchange, Route&nbsp;3 is closely paralleled by Route&nbsp;17 to the south until Route&nbsp;3 intersects Route&nbsp;17 again, which continues to the north of Route&nbsp;3.<ref name=SLD/>

The route widens to eight lanes and enters the [[New Jersey Meadowlands|Meadowlands]], crossing into [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] and then passing over NJ Transit's [[Bergen County Line]] and [[Berrys Creek]]. Route&nbsp;3 passes to the south of the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]], which contains [[MetLife Stadium]] (the home stadium of the [[New York Giants]] and the [[New York Jets]] of the [[National Football League]]), and the [[Meadowlands Racetrack]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> The route narrows back to six lanes and comes to a ramp which provides access to the Western Spur of the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|I-95]]). Route&nbsp;3 intersects [[New Jersey Route 120|Route&nbsp;120]] and the [[carriageway]]s separate. The route passes under the Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) and becomes eight lanes again.<ref name=SLD/>

[[File:2018-07-07 15 54 56 View east along New Jersey State Route 3 (Secaucus Bypass) at the exit for North Bergen, Kennedy Boulevard, and Interstate 95-New Jersey Turnpike NORTH in Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|Route&nbsp;3 eastbound at exit for the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) in Secaucus]]
The [[Route 3 Bridge (Hackensack River)|Route&nbsp;3 Bridge]] crosses the [[Hackensack River]] into [[Secaucus, New Jersey|Secaucus]], [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson County]]. It intersects the Meadowlands Parkway and continues southeast into a residential area with the carriageways joining back together.<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> At the interchange with [[Paterson Plank Road]] (CR&nbsp;681), Route&nbsp;3 widens into a [[Local-express lanes|local-express lane]] configuration with three express lanes and three local lanes each in the eastbound direction and two express lanes and three local lanes in the westbound direction. The route passes by the [[The Mall at Mill Creek|Mill Creek Mall]] and crosses under the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95).<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> Route&nbsp;3 comes to an eastbound exit and entrance with Harmon Meadow Boulevard and features a [[cloverleaf interchange]] with Paterson Plank Road. The route crosses the Penhorn Creek into [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]]. In North Bergen, the route comes to a truck-restricted eastbound ramp for eastbound [[New Jersey Route 495|Route&nbsp;495]]. Route&nbsp;3 then intersects Route&nbsp;495, which provides access to the New Jersey Turnpike and the [[Lincoln Tunnel]]. Past this interchange, the local-express lane configuration ends and Route&nbsp;3 heads southeast as a four-lane highway. The route meets a westbound exit and entrance for the North Bergen Park & Ride serving NJ Transit buses and passes over [[New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway]]'s New Jersey Subdivision line and [[Conrail Shared Assets Operations]]' [[Northern Branch]] line before it comes to its terminus at a traffic light with [[U.S. Route 1/9|US&nbsp;1/9]] south, with no direct access from Route&nbsp;3 east to US&nbsp;1/9 north.<ref name=SLD/>

==History==
[[File:New York, New York 1955 Yellow Book.jpg|thumb|left|1955 [[Yellow Book (Interstate system)|Yellow Book]] map of New York City, showing a planned [[Interstate Highway]] along the Route&nbsp;3 corridor.]]Route&nbsp;3 roughly follows the course of the Paterson and New York Plank Road (more commonly known as the [[Paterson Plank Road]]) legislated in 1851 to run from Paterson to a ferry at Hoboken. The portion of this road running east from Passaic was legislated as an unnumbered state route in 1926. In the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route&nbsp;3 was legislated to run from the [[New York (state)|New York]] line on the west shore of [[Greenwood Lake]] to [[New Jersey Route 1|Route&nbsp;1]] (now [[U.S. Route 1/9|US&nbsp;1/9]]) in [[Secaucus, New Jersey|Secaucus]].<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=October 8, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031111034/http://www.jimmyandsharonwilliams.com/njroads/1920s/images/1927_routes.gif|archive-date=October 31, 2007}}</ref> In 1929, the route west of Paterson was designated to become part of [[New Jersey Route S4B|Route&nbsp;S4B]], a spur of [[New Jersey Route 4|Route&nbsp;4]], and Route&nbsp;3 was modified to end at Route&nbsp;S4B north of Paterson. Route&nbsp;S4B was never built west of Paterson while the portion that was built became [[New Jersey Route 208|Route&nbsp;208]] in 1953.<ref name=nj1929>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1929, Chapter 126.</ref><ref name="nj1953">{{Cite web|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>

Following the 1929 amendments, Route&nbsp;3 ran from [[Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]] along today's [[New Jersey Route 20|Route&nbsp;20]], through [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]], [[Passaic, New Jersey|Passaic]], [[Wallington, New Jersey|Wallington]], [[Carlstadt, New Jersey|Carlstadt]], and East Rutherford along local streets, and finally down [[Paterson Plank Road]] (part of which is today's [[New Jersey Route 120|Route&nbsp;120]]) to Secaucus.<ref name=ruhc>{{cite map|author=Rutgers University Cartography Services |publisher=[[Rutgers University]]|title=Map of Passaic County N.J.|year=1936|url=http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/PASSAIC_COUNTY/PassaicCo1936.gif|access-date=March 28, 2009}}</ref><ref name=ruhc2>{{cite map|author=Rutgers University Cartography Services |publisher=[[Rutgers University]]|title=Map of Bergen County New Jersey|year=1949|url=http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/BERGEN_COUNTY/BergenCounty_1949.gif|access-date=March 30, 2009}}</ref> Before 1938, a bypass around the original Paterson Plank Road bridge over the Hackensack River was built, parts of which were later incorporated into today's [[New Jersey Route 120|Route&nbsp;120]]. As of this point, plans were in place to bypass the Plank Road to the north, going north of Wood Ridge and Wallington and replacing River Road up to Route 6, where it would rejoin the old alignment.<ref>{{Cite map|title=Map of Bergen County, N.J.|date=January 1938|url=http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/BERGEN_COUNTY/BergenCounty_1938.gif|author=McClave, Roscoe Parke}}</ref> In 1939, Route&nbsp;3 was extended east along present-day [[New Jersey Route 495|Route&nbsp;495]] to the [[Lincoln Tunnel]] into [[Manhattan]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1939/06/30/archives/approach-to-open-for-lincoln-tube-new-jerseys-latest-highway-which.html|title=Approach to Open for Lincoln Tube: New Jersey's Latest Highway Which Will be Opened Today|page=6|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 30, 1939|access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
{{infobox road small
|state=NJ
|type=NJ 1926
|county=
|route=S3
|location= [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]]&ndash;[[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]]
|length_mi=
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|formed=1929<ref name=nj1929 />
|deleted=1953<ref name="nj1953" />
}}
The section of what is now Route&nbsp;3 from [[U.S. Route 46|US&nbsp;46]] in Clifton to Route&nbsp;120 in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] was planned to be built as a [[Controlled-access highway|freeway]] in the mid-1930s designated as Route S3, a spur of Route&nbsp;3. Construction started in 1940, but it was interrupted by [[World War II]].<ref name=nyt2/> It would resume, with the first section of freeway opening between [[New Jersey Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]] to Route&nbsp;3 (now Route&nbsp;120) in 1942. The freeway was completed by 1949, including a bypass of Secaucus that was designated as a bypass of Route 3. The freeway had cost a total of $10 million to build and cut commuting times between Northern New Jersey and Manhattan.<ref name=nyt73149>{{cite news|title=Secaucus Road To Open: Jersey's New By-Pass Will Cut Commuting Time of Thousands |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1949/07/31/archives/secaucus-road-to-open-jerseys-new-bypass-will-cut-commuting-time-of.html |page=17 |work=The New York Times|date=July 31, 1949|access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Before the freeway was completed, Route&nbsp;S3 was designated to follow Allwood Road between Hepburn Road and Bloomfield Avenue in Clifton; the road was later returned to Passaic County and is currently CR&nbsp;602.<ref name=nyt2>{{cite news |first=George M. |last=Mathieu |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1941/08/10/archives/to-aid-users-of-tunnel-road-work-in-new-jersey-also-will-cut-time.html |title=To Aid Users of Tunnel: Road Work in New Jersey Also Will Cut Time to the Bridge|work=The New York Times |page=XX5 |date=August 10, 1941|access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref> In 1942, a spur of Route&nbsp;S3 in Clifton was commissioned; this became [[New Jersey Route S3 Spur|Route S3 Spur]] in 1948 and [[New Jersey Route 161|Route 161]] in 1953.<ref name=nj1953/><ref name=nj1942>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1942, Chapter 77.</ref><ref name=nj1948>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1948, Chapter 221.</ref>

In the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route&nbsp;3 was realigned to follow the entire length of the Route&nbsp;S3 freeway. In addition, Route&nbsp;3 in Secaucus was shifted off the Paterson Plank Road to the newly built Secaucus Bypass. The original alignment of Route&nbsp;3 through Secaucus (partly now known as Flanagan Way) became '''Route&nbsp;153'''; the entire route was eliminated by the late 1980s.<ref name=Hud1965>{{cite map|author=Rutgers University Cartography Services |publisher=[[Rutgers University]]|title=Hudson County Road Map – Sheet 2|year=1965|url=http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/HUDSON_COUNTY/HudsonCountyHighway_2_1965.gif|access-date=April 5, 2022}}</ref><ref name="statefarm">{{cite map|publisher=[[State Farm Insurance]]|title= State Farm Road Atlas |year=1983|cartography=[[Rand McNally]]}}</ref> The remaining sections under state maintenance were designated as [[New Jersey Route 20|Route&nbsp;20]], still under the assumption that they would be joined in the future. In the mid-1950s, Route&nbsp;3 was planned as one of the original routes of the [[Interstate Highway System]]; however, the [[New Jersey State Highway Department]] had deemed it too expensive to bring it up to [[Interstate Highway standards]] and [[Interstate 280 (New Jersey)|I-280]] was favored instead.<ref name=njshd>{{cite book|title= FAI 105 Interstate Highway Corridor: Recommendation Report|publisher=[[New Jersey State Highway Department]] |year=1957}}</ref> In 1959, the Lincoln Tunnel approach was designated as [[New Jersey Route 495|I-495]] and Route&nbsp;3 was truncated back to US&nbsp;1/9 in [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]].<ref name=nyt91958>{{cite news|last=Wright|first=George Cable|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/09/19/archives/new-roads-with-new-numbers-will-parallel-old-us-routes.html|title=New Roads with New Numbers Will Parallel Old U.S. Routes|page=29|work=The New York Times|date=September 19, 1958|access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="sld 2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000495__-.pdf|title=Route 495 Straight Line Diagram|work=Internet Archives WayBack Machine|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|year=2006|access-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060321122259/http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000495__-.pdf |archive-date = March 21, 2006}}</ref>

[[File:2020-07-24 17 45 20 View north along U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 9 (Tonnelle Avenue) at the exit for New Jersey Route 3 WEST (TO New Jersey Turnpike-New Jersey Route 495 EAST, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel) in North Bergen Township, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|East end of Route&nbsp;3 at US&nbsp;1/9 in North Bergen]]
Many improvements have been made to the Route&nbsp;3 freeway. In the 1970s, the interchanges with [[New Jersey Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]], the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] Western Spur, and Route&nbsp;120 were improved with the construction of the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]] in the area. The bridge over the [[Berrys Creek]], originally built in 1948, was reconstructed in the mid-1990s and Route&nbsp;3 was widened to eight lanes in the area near the bridge.<ref name=njdotpassaic>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/roads/rt3/updates.shtm|title=Route 3 Passaic River Crossing Project – Construction Updates|publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]|access-date=April 2, 2012}}</ref> In 2003, the interchange with Route 495 and the intersection with US&nbsp;1/9 was improved at a cost of $16 million.<ref name="njdot2001">{{cite book|title=Route 3: Passaic River Crossing|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|year=2001}}</ref>

Plans were made to improve Route&nbsp;3 near the Meadowlands Sports Complex with the construction of the [[American Dream Meadowlands|American Dream]] shopping and entertainment complex. An overpass between eastbound Route&nbsp;3 and northbound [[New Jersey Route 120|Route&nbsp;120]] was completed in May 2009 at a cost of $38.1 million, a flyover from southbound Route&nbsp;120 to eastbound Route&nbsp;3 was completed in early 2010 at a cost of $13 million, and improvements to the New Jersey Turnpike interchange was completed in the later part of 2010 at a cost of $49 million.<ref name=bcr>{{cite news|last=Brennan |first=John |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-164143908.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013134959/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-164143908.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 13, 2013 |title=Newstracker: Road, rail improvements on track for Xanadu project |work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]] |publisher=Highbeam Research |date=May 1, 2009 |access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{Subscription required}}</ref><ref name=bcr2>{{cite news |last=Brennan |first=John |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-164143908.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013134959/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-164143908.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 13, 2013 |title=Finally on Track: Sports complex rail, roads racing to the finish line |work=The Record |publisher=vLex |date=November 17, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2013}} {{Subscription required}}</ref>

Route&nbsp;3 underwent a major reconstruction to modern highway standards with noise walls installed and bridge replacements, including the new [[Passaic River]] bridge that is now functional, between Main Avenue in Clifton and Route&nbsp;17 in [[Rutherford, New Jersey|Rutherford]]. All work was completed by 2016.<ref name=njdot5>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/studies/rt3/overview.shtm|title=Route 3 Passaic River Crossing|publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]| access-date=November 17, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071223053247/http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/studies/rt3/overview.shtm |archive-date = December 23, 2007}}</ref> In a separate project, the roadway was resurfaced in 2013 from just west of the Route&nbsp;17 north interchange to [[U.S. Route 1/9|US&nbsp;1/9]] in [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Stein|first=Ron|title=Feds announce $8.6 million project to resurface four miles of Route&nbsp;3 in Secaucus, North Bergen |work=The Jersey Journal|date=March 18, 2013|url=http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2013/03/feds_announce_86_million_proje.html|access-date=October 10, 2013}}</ref>

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is rebuilding the interchange at US&nbsp;46 and Valley Road in [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]]. This project will reconfigure ramps, bring bridges up to standard, and will provide for three-lane connections between Route&nbsp;3 and US&nbsp;46. It is projected to cost more than $250&nbsp;million. Construction on the first contract began in December 2015 with completion by October 2019. Construction on the second contract began in February 2020.<ref name=njdot>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/studies/rt46/|title=Route 46/Route 3/Valley Road and Notch Road Interchanges|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=November 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/roads/rt46/faq.shtm|title=Route 46/Route 3/Valley Road and Notch Road Interchanges - Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=October 31, 2020}}</ref> In January 2022, the officials announced funding of a project to replace the 1934 eastbound bridge over the Hackensack River. The new bridge structure will be able to support adding [[light rail]] over the bridge in the future. The plan is to have a new light rail line from [[Secaucus Junction]] to [[MetLife Stadium]] and [[American Dream Meadowlands|American Dream]], but funding for the light rail is not immediately available.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maher |first1=Jake |title=Pols announce $143 million Route 3 bridge over Hackensack River and talk of light rail, too |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/01/pols-announce-143-million-route-3-bridge-over-hackensack-river-and-talk-of-light-rail-too.html |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=The Jersey Journal |issue=25 January 2022}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[File:2021-07-31 16 24 18 View east along the westbound lanes of New Jersey State Route 3 from the overpass for Interstate 95W (New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur) in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|View east along Route 3 westbound as it crosses the Hackensack River in the Meadowlands, with the New York City skyline visible in the distance]]
Route&nbsp;3 was the inspiration for a story in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' in 2004 by [[Ian Frazier]], for its iconic views of the [[Manhattan]] skyline.<ref name=tny>{{cite magazine |last=Frazier|first=Ian|access-date=October 11, 2013|title=Route 3: What I saw on the road through New Jersey|magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=February 16, 2004|url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/02/16/040216fa_fact3}}</ref> In this story, Frazier describes a bus journey along the route, mentioning scenes along the road such as traffic congestion, the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]], and the Tick Tock Diner off Route&nbsp;3 in [[Clifton, New Jersey|Clifton]]. He also described a walking journey he once took into [[New York City]] along Route&nbsp;3, encountering heavy, noisy traffic speeding by and [[road debris|debris along the side of the road]].<ref name=tny/>

In a ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' [[Saturday Night Live (season 27)#Episodes|sketch]] featuring [[Horatio Sanz]] and [[Derek Jeter]], the fictional business "Derek Jeter's Taco Hole" is on Route&nbsp;3 in [[Nutley, New Jersey]] between [[Kinko's]] and "El Duque's Shoe Repair".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694824/?ref_=ttep_ep7 | title=Derek Jeter/Shakira/Bubba Sparxxx | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/saturday-night-live/8885992813767211112/seasons/27/episodes/derek-jeter-december-1-2001-episode-7/c189bb6f-d223-36d6-962a-6b4adc5b8454 | title=Watch Saturday Night Live Season 27 Episode 7: Derek Jeter: December 1, 2001 on Peacock }}</ref> (Route&nbsp;3 does not actually pass through Nutley.)

==Exit list==
{{jcttop|state=NJ|unnum=yes|length_ref=<ref name=SLD/>}}
{{NJint
|county=Passaic
|cspan=10
|location=Clifton
|lspan=10
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|46|dir1=west}}
|notes=Western terminus
}}
{{NJint
|mile=
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|621|county1=Passaic|name1=Valley Road|city1=Montclair|city2=Paterson}}
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
}}
{{NJint
|mile=0.51
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|623|county1=Passaic|name1=Grove Street|city1=Montclair|city2=Paterson}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=1.26
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|509|name1=Broad Street|city1=Bloomfield|city2=Paterson}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=1.44
|mile2=1.53
|type=toll
|road={{jct|state=NJ|GSP2}}
|notes=No eastbound access to GSP north; exits 153A-B on G.S. Parkway
}}
{{NJint
|mile=2.64
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|622|county1=Passaic|name1=Bloomfield Avenue|city1=Bloomfield|city2=Passaic}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=3.41
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|7|CR|603|county2=Passaic|name2=Passaic Avenue|city1=Nutley|city2=Passaic}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=3.82
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|601|county1=Passaic|name1=Main Avenue|city1=Nutley|city2=Passaic}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=4.70
|mspan=2
|place=Western end of freeway section
}}
{{NJint
|mile=none
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|21|city1=Newark|city2=Paterson}}
|notes=Exit&nbsp;9 on Route&nbsp;21
}}
{{NJint
|county=Bergen
|cspan=6
|location=Rutherford
|lspan=3
|mile=5.01
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|507|city1=Rutherford|city2=Lyndhurst}}
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
}}
{{NJint
|mile=5.67
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|to1=to|CR|507|name1=Riverside Avenue|city1=Rutherford|city2=Lyndhurst}}
|notes=Westbound exit and entrance; access to CR 507 via Marginal Road; access to Rutherford/Lyndhurst via Ridge Road
}}
{{NJint
|mile=6.36
|mile2=6.39
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|17|city1=Lyndhurst|city2=Rutherford|road|Service Road}}
|notes=Service Road not signed eastbound 
}}
{{NJint
|location=East Rutherford
|lspan=3
|mile=7.21
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|to1=to|NJ|120|dir1=north|city1=East Rutherford|location2=[[Meadowlands Sports Complex|Sports Complex]]|location3=[[American Dream Meadowlands|American Dream]]}}
|notes=Eastbound exit only
}}
{{NJint
|mile=7.27
|type=toll
|road={{jct|state=NJ|I-Toll|95|NJTP2}}
|notes=I-95 not signed westbound; exit&nbsp;16W of the Western Spur
}}
{{NJint
|mile=7.58
|mile2=7.96
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|120|dir1=north|city1=East Rutherford|location2=[[Meadowlands Sports Complex|Sports Complex]]|location3=[[American Dream Meadowlands|American Dream]]}}
|notes=No eastbound exit; southern terminus of Route 120
}}
{{jctbridge
|river=[[Hackensack River]]
|mile=
|bridge=[[Route 3 Bridge (Hackensack River)|Route&nbsp;3 Bridge]]
}}
{{NJint
|county=Hudson
|cspan=8
|location=Secaucus
|lspan=4
|mile=8.60
|road=Meadowlands Parkway
}}
{{NJint
|mile=9.12
|type=incomplete
|road={{jctname|state=NJ|I-Toll|95|dir1=south|NJTP2||dir2=south|city1=Secaucus}}
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to Secaucus via [[Paterson Plank Road|CR 681]]
}}
{{NJint
|mile=9.6
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|to1=yes|I|95|dir1=north|NJTP||dir2=north|road|Kennedy Boulevard|name3=[[County Route 501 (New Jersey)|CR 501]]|city1=North Bergen}}
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
}}
{{NJint
|mile=9.9
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|road|Service Road|city1=Secaucus}}
|notes=Westbound exit only
}}
{{NJint
|location=North Bergen
|lspan=4
|mile=10.33
|mile2=10.46
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|495|to2=yes|I|95|NJTP||location1=[[Lincoln Tunnel]]}}
|notes=No westbound access to Route&nbsp;495 east; Route 495 west not signed; former I-495
}}
{{NJint
|mile=10.50
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|495|dir1=east|location1=[[Lincoln Tunnel]]|location2=[[New York City]]|road|Kennedy Boulevard ([[County Route 501 (New Jersey)|CR 501]])|to2=yes}}
|notes=Eastbound exit only; former I-495
}}
{{NJint
|mile=10.70
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|495|dir1=east|location1=[[Lincoln Tunnel]]|location2=[[Park and ride|Park & Ride]]}}
|notes=Westbound exit and entrance
}}
{{NJint
|mile=10.84
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|1-9|dir1=south|city1=Jersey City}}
|notes=Eastern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete,toll}}

==See also==
*{{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
*{{Portal-inline|New Jersey}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|New Jersey Route 3}}
{{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/enlarged_view_03.pdf An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of NJ 3 and NJ 46 in Clifton]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/enlarged_view_04.pdf An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of NJ 3 and NJ 17 in Rutherford]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/enlarged_view_05.pdf An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of NJ 3, NJ 120 and I 95 in East Rutherford]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/enlarged_view_47.pdf An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of NJ 3, NJ 495, I 95 / NJ Turnpike, US 1 in Secaucus and North Bergen]
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/nj_3/ New Jersey Roads: Route 3]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070408135352/http://bergenscanner.com/rt3.shtml Police Scanner Frequencies for Route 3]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt3.shtm Speed Limits for State Roads]

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Jersey Route 003}}
[[Category:Transportation in Hudson County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Bergen County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Passaic County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|003]]
[[Category:Limited-access roads in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Freeways in the United States]]