Editing New Jersey Route 68

{{Short description|State highway in Burlington County, New Jersey, US}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=68
|alternate_name=Fort Dix Access Highway
|established=January 1, 1953<ref name="1953renum">{{cite news |title=New Route Markers Go Up Next Month |url=http://www.fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2021/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette%201952-1953/Hackettstown%20NJ%20Gazette%201952-1953%20-%200243.pdf |access-date=September 26, 2018 |work=The Hackettstown Gazette |date=December 18, 1952 |page=17}}</ref>

|length_mi=7.92
|length_ref=<ref name=SLD>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000068__-.pdf|format=PDF|title=Route 68 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|CR|616|county1=Burlington}} in [[New Hanover Township, New Jersey|New Hanover Township]] ([[Fort Dix]])
|junction={{jct|state=NJ|CR|537}} in [[Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Springfield Township]]
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|US|206}} in [[Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Mansfield Township]]
|counties=[[Burlington County, New Jersey|Burlington]]
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=67
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=69}}

'''Route 68''' is a [[state highway]] located in [[Burlington County, New Jersey|Burlington County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Jersey]], serving as the main connector between the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] and the [[Fort Dix]] entity of [[Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst]] (JB MDL).  It runs from County Route 616 (CR&nbsp;616) inside Fort Dix to [[U.S. Route 206]] (US&nbsp;206) in [[Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Mansfield Township]], {{convert|0.34|mi|km|2|abbr=on}} south of the New Jersey Turnpike; a total route length of {{convert|7.92|mi|km|2|abbr=on}}. The route passes through [[Wrightstown, New Jersey|Wrightstown]] and [[Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Springfield Township]] as a two-lane undivided road, crossing [[County Route 537 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;537]]. It continues through Mansfield Township as a four-lane [[divided highway]], intersecting with [[County Route 543 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;543]]. Outside of ASA Fort Dix, Route 68 passes through mostly agricultural and residential areas.

The route was originally designated as '''Route S39''' in 1941, a spur of [[New Jersey Route 39|Route 39]] (present-day US&nbsp;206) that was to provide improved access to Fort Dix during [[World War II]]. In 1953, Route S39 became Route 68 and it was legislated to extend south of Fort Dix to the [[Four Mile Circle]] with [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]] and [[New Jersey Route 72|Route 72]]. A [[freeway]] for Route 68 was proposed to run between a planned [[New Jersey Route 38|Route 38]] freeway and the Four Mile Circle in 1960; however, it was never built.

==Route description==
[[File:NJ 68 NB past Burlington CR 670.jpeg|thumb|left|Route 68 northbound past CR 670 in Springfield Township]]
Route 68 begins at General Circle (inaccessible to the general public) with CR&nbsp;616 on the grounds of the Fort Dix entity of JB MDL in [[New Hanover Township, New Jersey|New Hanover Township]], heading to the north as a four-lane divided highway called Fort Dix Road.<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=general+circle+new+hanover+township,+nj&daddr=Rte-206+%26+Rte-68,+Burlington,+New+Jersey+08022&geocode=%3BFVAVZAId6xKM-ykZ62bGRlvBiTEcZn2Me1JQFg&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=40.065016,-74.671021&sspn=0.116136,0.22007&ie=UTF8&ll=40.064935,-74.670296&spn=0.116136,0.22007&t=h&z=12|title=overview of New Jersey Route 68|access-date=2009-07-14}}</ref> After passing through the Main Gate to Fort Dix and heading east of the Visitor Center for Fort Dix, the road continues through public areas of the military installation and crosses into Wrightstown, where it narrows into a two-lane undivided road before heading into Springfield Township.<ref name=SLD/> The route exits JB MDL at its intersection with CR&nbsp;670 and upon leaving the military base, it heads through a mix of farmland and woodland. Route 68 crosses CR&nbsp;537 before continuing north into agricultural areas with some homes.<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/>

[[File:2018-05-23 12 13 25 View north along New Jersey State Route 68 at Burlington County Route 543 (School House Road) in Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|View north along Route 68 at CR 543 in Mansfield]]
The road enters Mansfield Township where it widens into a four-lane divided highway as it intersects a road that provides access to parallel [[County Route 545 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;545]] to the east, which heads south to serve as an access road to [[McGuire Air Force Base]]. From here, the route turns northwest and crosses CR&nbsp;543 before heading through a mix of farm fields and suburban residential neighborhoods.<ref name=SLD/><ref name=gm/> Past the intersection with White Pine Road, Route 68 passes in between two large [[auto auction]] lots. The route terminates at an intersection with US&nbsp;206 located a short distance south of that route's interchange with the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|Interstate 95]]).<ref name=gm/> Route 68 serves as the main access route between Fort Dix and the New Jersey Turnpike.<ref name=fortdix>{{cite web|url=http://www.dix.army.mil/Directions/FortDixdirections.htm|title=Fort Dix Directions|publisher=[[Fort Dix]]|access-date=2009-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623115837/http://www.dix.army.mil/Directions/FortDixdirections.htm <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=2009-06-23}}</ref>

==History==
{{infobox road small
|state=NJ
|type=NJ 1926
|county=
|route=S39
|location= [[Fort Dix]]&ndash;[[Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Mansfield Township]]
|length_mi=
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|formed=1941<ref name=nj1941 />
|deleted=1953<ref name="nj1953" />
}}
As part of improving road access to the Fort Dix Military Reservation at the onset of World War II, a [[Works Progress Administration]] project improved the paved road connecting the fort to Bordentown.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|title=Roads to Fort Dix Will be Improved |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 15, 1941}}</ref> In 1941, this road was legislated as Route S39, a state highway spur of Route 39 (now US&nbsp;206) that was to run from the fort to Mansfield Square.<ref name=nj1941>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1941, Chapter 13, Page 25, Section 1.</ref> Construction on the access road was completed in 1943 at a cost of over $2 million.<ref name=nyt2>{{cite news|title=New Fort Dix Road Is Opened |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 17, 1943}}</ref> Route S39 became Route 68 in the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering]].<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> The same year, an extension of Route 68 was legislated to run south from Fort Dix to the intersection with Route 70 and Route 72 at the Four Mile Circle.<ref name=nj1953ii>State of New Jersey, Laws of 1953, Chapter 112, Page 1298, Section 1.</ref> In 1961, a freeway was proposed along the Route 68 corridor, running from a planned Route 38 freeway near Fort Dix south to Route 70 and Route 72; however, this was never built.<ref>{{cite report|title=New Jersey Builds Better Highways|publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department|date=1961}}</ref><ref name=1964Map>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycroads.com/history/expwy-map_metro/|title=Proposed Expressways in New York City|publisher=Regional Plan Association News|date=May 1964|access-date=2009-07-14}}</ref>

==Major intersections==
{{Jcttop|state=NJ|county=Burlington|length_ref=<ref name="SLD"/>}}
{{NJint
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|616|county1=Burlington|name1=Pemberton&ndash;Wrightstown Road|city1=Pemberton}}
|location=New Hanover Township
|lspan=2
|notes=General Circle; southern terminus
}}
{{jctbridge
|type=closed
|state=NJ
|mile=0.00
|mile2=0.22
|bridge=[[Fort Dix]] Main Gate<br />Road closed to general public
since [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]]}} 
{{NJint
|mile=2.85
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|537|name1=Monmouth Road|city1=Jobstown|city2=Jacobstown}}
|location=Springfield Township
|ctdab=Burlington
}}
{{NJint
|mile=4.00
|location=Mansfield Township
|ctdab=Burlington
|lspan=3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|545|to1=yes|city1=Trenton|location2=[[McGuire Air Force Base|McGuire AFB]]}}
}}
{{NJint
|mile=4.30
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|543|name1=School House Road|city1=Columbus|city2=Georgetown}}
}}
{{NJint
|mile=7.92
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|206|to2=to|NJTP}}
|notes=Northern terminus
}}

{{jctbtm}}

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

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|New Jersey Route 68}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/log/6.html#68 New Jersey Roads – History]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt68.shtm Speed Limits for State Roads: Route 68]

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Jersey Route 068}}
[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|068]]
[[Category:Transportation in Burlington County, New Jersey]]