Editing New Jersey Route 34

{{Short description|State highway in central New Jersey, US}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=34
|established=1927
|length_mi=26.7
|length_ref=
<ref name=SLD>{{cite web |url = http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000034__-.pdf |title = Route 34 straight line diagram |publisher = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] |access-date = March 17, 2020 }}
</ref>
|map={{maplink-road}}
|map_custom=yes
|direction_a=South
|direction_b=North
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|35|NJ|70}} in [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]]
|junction=
*{{jct|state=NJ|I|195|GSP2||NJ|138}} in Wall Township
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|33}} in [[Howell Township, New Jersey|Howell]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|18}} in [[Colts Neck Township, New Jersey|Colts Neck]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|79}} in [[Matawan, New Jersey|Matawan]]
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|US|9}} in [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]]
|counties=[[Monmouth County, New Jersey|Monmouth]], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex]]
|previous_type=NJ 1926
|previous_route=33A
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=35}}

'''Route&nbsp;34''' is a [[List of state highways in New Jersey|state highway]] in the [[Central Jersey|central part]] of the U.S. state of [[New Jersey]]. The route runs {{convert|26.7|mi|km|abbr=on}} from an intersection of [[New Jersey Route 35|Route&nbsp;35]] and [[New Jersey Route 70|Route&nbsp;70]] (the former [[Brielle Circle]]) in [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey|Monmouth County]], north to an interchange with [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]] in [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex County]]. The route is a four-lane [[Dual carriageway|divided highway]] between its southern terminus and the north end of the [[New Jersey Route 33|Route&nbsp;33]] concurrency in [[Howell Township, New Jersey|Howell]]; along this stretch, the route interchanges with the [[Garden State Parkway]] and [[Interstate 195 (New Jersey)|I-195]]/[[New Jersey Route 138|Route&nbsp;138]] within a short distance of each other. North of Route&nbsp;33, Route&nbsp;34 is an undivided two- to four-lane road that interchanges with [[New Jersey Route 18|Route&nbsp;18]] in [[Colts Neck Township, New Jersey|Colts Neck]] and intersects with [[New Jersey Route 79|Route&nbsp;79]] in [[Matawan, New Jersey|Matawan]]. Route&nbsp;34 passes through mostly suburban areas along its route.

The route was legislated in 1927 to run from Route&nbsp;35 (present [[New Jersey Route 88|Route&nbsp;88]]) in [[Laurelton, New Jersey|Laurelton]] north to [[New Jersey Route 4|Route&nbsp;4]] (present Route&nbsp;79) in Matawan. The current alignment of Route&nbsp;34 north of Matawan was a part of Route&nbsp;4 (and later US&nbsp;9) until it became a part of [[New Jersey Route 4A|Route&nbsp;4A]] following a realignment of US&nbsp;9 and Route&nbsp;4. In 1953, Route&nbsp;34 was extended north along Route&nbsp;4A to end at US&nbsp;9 in Old Bridge. Meanwhile, the southern terminus was cut back to its current location with the route south of that point becoming a part of Route&nbsp;70. Since 1953, the southern portion of the route was widened into a divided highway and the Brielle Circle was replaced.

==Route description==
[[File:2020-09-13 10 19 51 View north along New Jersey State Route 34 at the exit for Lakewood Road in Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|Route&nbsp;34 northbound just north of Route 35 and Route 70.]]
Route&nbsp;34 begins at an intersection of [[New Jersey Route 35|Route&nbsp;35]] and [[New Jersey Route 70|Route&nbsp;70]] in [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey|Monmouth County]], at the former [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Brielle Circle]], heading to the northwest on a six-lane undivided road.<ref name=SLD/> A short distance past this intersection, the route becomes a four-lane [[Dual carriageway|divided highway]] that passes through suburban development with some woods. It passes over the [[Capital to Coast Trail]] and meets [[County Route 524 (New Jersey)#County Route 524 Spur|CR&nbsp;524 Spur]] before reaching the Allenwood Circle, where Route&nbsp;34 intersects with [[County Route 524 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;524]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm>{{google maps |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=RT-35+%26+RT-34,+Manasquan,+Monmouth,+New+Jersey+08736&daddr=route+34+and+old+road+old+bridge,+nj&geocode=FV0fZAIdt7yV-w%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=40.439892,-74.297447&sspn=0.014437,0.027509&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10 |title = Overview of New Jersey Route&nbsp;34 |access-date = July 7, 2009 }}</ref> Past the Allenwood Circle, the road continues northwest to a partial interchange with the [[Garden State Parkway]]. This interchange has access to the northbound Garden State Parkway from northbound Route&nbsp;34, to the southbound Garden State Parkway from southbound Route&nbsp;34, and to both directions of Route&nbsp;34 from the southbound Garden State Parkway.<ref name=gm/> Immediately past this interchange, the road intersects with West 18th Avenue ([[List of county routes in Monmouth County, New Jersey#30-1|CR&nbsp;30]]) before coming to a [[Cloverleaf interchange|cloverleaf interchange]] with [[Interstate 195 (New Jersey)|I-195]] and [[New Jersey Route 138|Route&nbsp;138]].<ref name=SLD/> Route&nbsp;34 provides the missing movements between the southbound Garden State Parkway and I-195/Route&nbsp;138. From here, the road passes through woodland before heading into commercial and industrial areas, where it passes by the [[Wall Stadium]] racetrack and the [[Monmouth Executive Airport]].<ref name=gm/> The route enters wooded residential and business areas where it intersects with Belmar Boulevard and Megill Road, which are both distinct segments of CR&nbsp;18. Route&nbsp;34 continues north before it intersects with [[New Jersey Route 33|Route&nbsp;33]] and [[County Route 547 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;547]] at the [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Collingwood Circle]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/>

[[File:2021-09-08 10 08 03 View north along New Jersey State Route 34 from the overpass for New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) in Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|Route&nbsp;34 northbound at the Garden State Parkway in Wall Township]]
At the traffic circle, Route&nbsp;34 turns northwest to [[Concurrency (road)|run concurrently]] with Route&nbsp;33 on a four-lane divided highway that passes businesses, crossing into [[Howell Township, New Jersey|Howell]] and passing over the [[Southern Secondary]] railroad line operated by the [[Delaware and Raritan River Railroad|Delaware & Raritan River Railroad]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> The two routes eventually split; Route&nbsp;34 heads north on a two-lane undivided road.<ref name=SLD/>  It passes through wooded areas of [[Naval Weapons Station Earle]] and enters [[Colts Neck Township, New Jersey|Colts Neck]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> Upon leaving the grounds of Naval Weapons Station Earle, the route widens into a four-lane divided highway again and comes to a cloverleaf interchange with [[New Jersey Route 18|Route&nbsp;18]].<ref name=SLD/> Past this interchange, Route&nbsp;34 becomes a two-lane undivided road that passes development and [[Delicious Orchards]] before crossing the intersection of [[County Route 537 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;537]]. From here, the road heads past suburban neighborhoods and farmland, intersecting with Phalanx Road ([[List of county routes in Monmouth County, New Jersey#54|CR&nbsp;54]]) before meeting the intersection of Conover Road ([[List of county routes in Monmouth County, New Jersey#4-2|CR&nbsp;4]]).<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> Route&nbsp;34 briefly runs concurrently with CR&nbsp;4 until the county route heads northeast on South Street.<ref name=SLD/> The route continues into wooded areas of homes, crossing into [[Holmdel Township, New Jersey|Holmdel]], where it intersects with Newman Springs Road/West Main Street ([[County Route 520 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;520]]).<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/>

[[File:NJ 34 SB in Colts Neck.jpg|thumb|left|Southbound Route 34 in Colts Neck Township along the two-lane section of the highway]]
After this intersection, the road continues past homes and farms before turning northwest and entering [[Marlboro Township, New Jersey|Marlboro]]. Here, the road heads through wooded residential and commercial areas, briefly becoming a four-lane road, before it crosses into [[Aberdeen Township, New Jersey|Aberdeen]]. In Aberdeen, Route&nbsp;34 heads into business areas as it crosses the intersection of Lloyd Road ([[List of county routes in Monmouth County, New Jersey#3|CR&nbsp;3]]). The road becomes a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, forming the border of [[Matawan, New Jersey|Matawan]] to the west and Aberdeen to the east. Upon passing under the [[Henry Hudson Trail]], the route entirely enters Matawan, continuing northwest as four-lane Middlesex Street.<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> Here, Route&nbsp;34 intersects with Broad Street ([[County Route 516 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;516]]) and [[New Jersey Route 79|Route&nbsp;79]] and Main Street ([[County Route 516 (New Jersey)#County Route 516 Spur|CR&nbsp;516 Spur]]).<ref name=SLD/> Following these intersections, the road heads into residential and business areas, crossing over [[Lake Lefferts]].<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/>

[[File:2018-05-21 11 22 46 View north along New Jersey State Route 34 at Disbrow Road in Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|View north along Route&nbsp;34 at Disbrow Road in Old Bridge]]
Route&nbsp;34 crosses into [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex County]], where it becomes a two-lane road, continuing through commercial areas. The route intersects with Morristown Road ([[List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey#689|CR&nbsp;689]]) and Amboy Road ([[List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey#645|CR 645]]), where it turns to the west and passes through areas of residences and businesses and reaches the intersection of Cottrell Road ([[List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey#687|CR&nbsp;687]]).<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> At the intersection of Cottrell Road (CR&nbsp;687), Route&nbsp;34 turns to the north and intersects with Spring Hill Road.<ref name=SLD/> The road continues north and ends at a partial interchange with [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]], with access to northbound US&nbsp;9 and access from southbound US&nbsp;9. Missing movements between Route&nbsp;34 and US&nbsp;9 are provided by Perrine Road to the south.<ref name=gm/>

==History==
The Holmdel and Middletown Point Turnpike was a [[Toll road|turnpike]] chartered on February 28, 1862,<ref>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1862, Chapter 56</ref> and ran between [[Holmdel Township, New Jersey|Holmdel]] and Middletown Point (now [[Matawan, New Jersey|Matawan]]). The road's trajectory is now roughly followed by Route&nbsp;34.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://archive.org/details/matawanaberdeeno0000hend |url-access = registration |page = [https://archive.org/details/matawanaberdeeno0000hend/page/55 55] |quote = Holmdel and Middletown Point Turnpike. |title = Matawan and Aberdeen: Of Town and Field |first1 = Helen |last1 = Henderson |first2 = Matawan Historical |last2 = Association |date = April 30, 2003 |publisher = Arcadia Publishing |access-date = June 7, 2018 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref>

In the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route&nbsp;34 was legislated to run from an intersection with Route&nbsp;35 (now [[New Jersey Route 88|Route&nbsp;88]] in [[Laurelton, New Jersey|Laurelton]], [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean County]], north to [[New Jersey Route 4|Route&nbsp;4]] (now Route&nbsp;79) in Matawan, with the portion of current Route&nbsp;34 north of that intersection legislated as part of Route&nbsp;4.<ref name=nj1927>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1927, Chapter 319.</ref><ref name="Map">{{cite web |author = Williams, Jimmy and Sharon |url = http://www.jimmyandsharonwilliams.com/njroads/1920s/images/1927_routes.gif |title = 1927 New Jersey Road Map |publisher = 1920s New Jersey Highways |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> By the 1940s, US&nbsp;9 was also designated along the present-day portion of Route&nbsp;34 that was then a part of Route&nbsp;4, this would later become [[New Jersey Route 4A|Route&nbsp;4A]] after US&nbsp;9 and Route&nbsp;4 were moved to a new alignment between [[Freehold Borough, New Jersey|Freehold]] and [[Cheesequake, New Jersey|Cheesequake]].<ref name="mwm">{{cite map |publisher = Mid-West Map Co. |title = Map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey |year = 1941 |author = [[H.M. Gousha]] |url = http://www.mapsofpa.com/roadcart/1941_1467m.jpg |access-date = March 29, 2009 }}</ref> In the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route&nbsp;34 was extended north along the alignment of Route&nbsp;4A to end at US&nbsp;9 in Cheesequake while the southern terminus was cut back to the Brielle Circle intersection with Route&nbsp;35 and Route&nbsp;70, the latter having replaced Route&nbsp;34 south of this point.<ref name="nj1953">{{Cite book |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> By 1969, Route&nbsp;34 was widened into a divided highway as far north as Route&nbsp;33.<ref name="chevron">{{cite map |publisher = [[Chevron Oil Company]] |title = Map of New Jersey |year = 1969 |author = [[H.M. Gousha]] }}</ref> The Brielle Circle at the southern terminus of the route was converted into at-grade intersections with traffic lights in 2001.<ref name=njdot>{{Cite web |title = DiFrancesco and Weinstein Open Newly Reconfigured Interchange |publisher = New Jersey Department of Transportation |access-date = December 21, 2008 |url = http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2001/051701a.shtm }}</ref>

==Major intersections==
{{Jcttop|length_ref=<ref name=SLD/>}}
{{NJint
|county=Monmouth
|cspan=13
|mile=0.0
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|35|dir1=north|city1=Belmar}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|35|dir1=south|location1=[[Seaside Park, New Jersey|Seaside Pk]]}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|70|dir1=west|city1=Lakehurst|city2=Camden}}
|location=Wall Township
|lspan=7
|notes=Former [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Brielle Circle]]; southern terminus; eastern terminus of Route&nbsp;70
}}
{{NJint
|mile=1.9
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR-Spur|524|city1=Farmingdale|city2=Sea Girt|city3=Manasquan}}
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{NJint
|mile=2.6
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|524|city1=Farmingdale|city2=Spring Lake}}
|notes=Allenwood Circle
}}
{{NJint
|mile=3.5
|mile2=3.6
|type=toll
|road={{jct|state=NJ|GSP2}}
|notes=Exit&nbsp;98 (Garden State Parkway)
}}
{{NJint
|mile=4.1
|road={{jct|state=NJ|I|195|dir1=west|city1=Trenton}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|138|dir1=east|city1=Belmar}}
|notes=Exits 35A-B (I-195/Route 138); Eastern terminus of I-195<hr>Western terminus of Route 138
}}
{{NJint
|mile=7.2
|road={{jct|state=NJ|road|Wyckoff Rd}}
|notes=Southern terminus of CR&nbsp;547 Spur
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|mile=7.7
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|33|dir1=east|CR|547|dir2=north|to3=to|GSP||city1=Ocean Grove|extra=hospital}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|CR|547|dir1=south|city1=Farmingdale}}
|notes=[[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Collingwood Circle]]; south end of the overlap with Route 33; access to [[Jersey Shore University Medical Center]]
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|mile=8.7
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|33|dir1=west|location1=[[Freehold Township, New Jersey|Freehold]]|city2=Trenton}}
|location=Howell Township
|notes=Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of the overlap with Route 33; to Inspection Station 
}}
{{NJint
|mile=12.2
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|18|city1=New Brunswick|city2=Tinton Falls}}
|location=Colts Neck Township
|lspan=2
|notes=Exits 19A-B (Route&nbsp;18)
}}
{{NJint
|mile=13.2
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|537|location1=[[Freehold Borough, New Jersey|Freehold]]|city2=Eatontown|location3=[[Fort Monmouth|Ft Monmouth]]}}
}}
{{NJint
|mile=17.4
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|520|name1=Newman Springs Rd/W Main St|city1=Bradevelt|location2=[[Holmdel Township, New Jersey|Holmdel]]}}
|location=Holmdel Township
}}
{{NJint
|mile=22.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|516|name1=Broad St|location1=[[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]]|city2=Keyport|extra=rail}}
|location=Matawan
|lspan=2
|notes=Access to [[Aberdeen-Matawan station|Aberdeen-Matawan Station]]
}}
{{NJint
|mile=22.4
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|79|dir1=south}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|road|Main St|to2=to|GSP}}
|notes=Northern terminus of Route&nbsp;79<hr>Western terminus of CR&nbsp;516 Spur
}}
{{NJint
|mile=26.7
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|9|dir1=north}}
|county=Middlesex
|location=Old Bridge Township
|notes=Northern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete,toll}}

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|New Jersey Route 34}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/log/4.html#34 New Jersey Roads: Route 34]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015354/http://www.njroads.org/ends/34/nj34.htm New Jersey Highway Ends: Route 34]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt34.shtm Speed Limits for Route 34]

{{good article}}

[[Category:Transportation in Middlesex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Monmouth County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|034]]