Editing New Jersey Route 72

{{Short description|State highway in New Jersey, US}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=72
|alternate_name=

|map={{maplink-road|from2=New Jersey Route 180.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Route&nbsp;72 highlighted in red, and former Route&nbsp;180 in pink
|length_mi=28.7
|length_ref=<ref name=SLD>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000072__-.pdf|format=PDF|title=Route 72 straight line diagram|publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]|access-date=March 17, 2020}}</ref>
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|70}} in [[Woodland Township, New Jersey|Woodland Township]]
|junction={{plainlist|
*{{jct|state=NJ|GSP2}} in [[Stafford Township, New Jersey|Stafford Township]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|US|9}} in Stafford Township
}}
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|CR|607|county1=Ocean}} in [[Ship Bottom, New Jersey|Ship Bottom]]
|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>
|counties=[[Burlington County, New Jersey|Burlington]], [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean]]
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=71
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=73
|browse={{nj browse|previous_type=NJ|previous_route=179|route=[[Image:Ellipse sign 180.svg|25px|alt=Route 180 shield]]|next_type=NJ|next_route=181}}
{{nj browse|county=Ocean|previous_type=CR|previous_route=49|route=[[Image:Ocean County Route 50 NJ.svg|20px|alt=Ocean County Route 50 shield]]|next_type=CR|next_route=53}}
}}
'''Route 72''' is a [[State highways in New Jersey|state highway]] in the U.S. state of [[New Jersey]]. It runs {{convert|28.7|mi|km|2|abbr=on}} from the [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Four Mile Circle]] with [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]] in [[Woodland Township, New Jersey|Woodland Township]] in [[Burlington County, New Jersey|Burlington County]] to Long Beach Boulevard ([[List of county routes in Ocean County, New Jersey#607|CR 607]]) in [[Ship Bottom, New Jersey|Ship Bottom]] on [[Long Beach Island]] in [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean County]]. Route 72 travels through the [[New Jersey Pine Barrens|Pine Barrens]] as a two-lane undivided road. After an interchange with the [[Garden State Parkway]], the route becomes a four- to six-lane [[Dual carriageway|divided highway]] through built-up areas of [[Manahawkin, New Jersey|Manhawkin]] and crosses the [[Manahawkin Bay]] via the [[Manahawkin Bay Bridge]] onto Long Beach Island.

What is now Route 72 was originally designated as '''Route S40''' in 1927, a spur of [[New Jersey Route 40|Route 40]] (now Route 70) running from Four Mile to Manahawkin. The road was extended to Ship Bottom by 1941 before it was renumbered to Route 72 in 1953. A realignment that took place in 1969 between [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US 9]] and the Manahawkin Bay Bridge resulted in the designation of '''Route 180''' on the former alignment; this road is now '''CR 50'''. Plans in the late 1960s and the 1970s called for a proposed Route 72 freeway, running from the western terminus at Route 70 to the concurrently proposed [[Interstate 895 (New Jersey-Pennsylvania)|I-895]] at the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] in [[Westampton, New Jersey|Westampton]], connecting [[Philadelphia]]'s northern suburbs with the [[Jersey Shore]].  The freeway plans along with I-895 were canceled by the 1980s. The Manahawkin Bay Bridge underwent deck repairs completed in May 2010, with the bridge slated to be rehabilitated and a parallel span to be built to the south.

==Route description==
[[File:2018-05-22 10 19 39 View west along New Jersey State Route 72 (Barnegat Road) just west of Savoy Boulevard in Woodland Township, Burlington County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|View west along Route 72 just west of Savoy Boulevard in Woodland Township]]
Route 72 begins at the [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Four Mile Circle]] intersection of Route 70, Magnolia Road ([[List of county routes in Burlington County, New Jersey#644|CR 644]]), and Four Mile Road ([[List of county routes in Burlington County, New Jersey#646|CR 646]]) in Woodland Township, Burlington County, heading to the southeast on a two-lane undivided road.<ref name="SLD"/> The route passes through heavily wooded areas of the Pine Barrens that are a part of the [[Brendan T. Byrne State Forest]].<ref name=gm>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=route+70+and+route+72+woodland,+nj&daddr=route+72+and+long+beach+boulevard+ship+bottom,+nj&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=40.001265,-74.57256&sspn=0.961508,1.766052&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10|title=overview of New Jersey Route 72|access-date=2009-09-30}}</ref> The road passes near a state hospital before coming to an intersection with the northern terminus of [[County Route 563 (New Jersey)|CR 563]]. Past CR 563, the route continues through the Pine Barrens, passing under an abandoned railroad line prior to the intersection of Chatsworth-Barnegat Road ([[County Route 532 (New Jersey)|CR 532]]).<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/> Here, Route 72 forms a [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with CR 532 and the road enters [[Barnegat Township, New Jersey|Barnegat]] in Ocean County, where it comes to the intersection of Whiting Road ([[County Route 539 (New Jersey)|CR 539]]). From this intersection, Route 72 and CR 532 continue to the intersection of Warren Grove Road ([[List of county routes in Ocean County, New Jersey#610|CR 610]]), where CR 532 splits from the route by heading to the east on Warren Grove Road.<ref name="SLD"/> A short distance later, the route intersects with West Bay Avenue ([[County Route 554 (New Jersey)|CR 554]]), which continues along Route 72, and turns to the south-southeast through more wooded areas.<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/>

[[File:2021-09-21 09 28 57 View west along New Jersey State Route 72 from the overpass for New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) in Stafford Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|Route 72 westbound at the Garden State Parkway interchange in Stafford Township]]
The highway enters [[Stafford Township, New Jersey|Stafford Township]] and passes to the southwest of the residential [[Ocean Acres, New Jersey|Ocean Acres]] community.<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/> The route heads to the southwest of Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center before it comes to the intersection of Nautilus Drive (CR 111). Past this intersection, Route 72 widens into a four-lane divided highway, intersecting with Lighthouse Drive (CR 105) and Stafford Park Boulevard (CR 2) before coming to an interchange with the Garden State Parkway.<ref name="SLD"/> Following this interchange, the route enters the Manahawkin area and widens to six lanes as it passes woods to the northeast and business areas to the southwest. Route 72 has an interchange with [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US 9]] and continues southeast through a mix of woods and commercial areas as a four-lane road, with Bay Avenue (CR 50) paralleling the route to the north. The road intersects with Jennings Road (CR 20) and Mill Creek Road (CR 6) before it passes to the north of the [[Beach Haven West, New Jersey|Beach Haven West]] residential development and passes near wetlands.<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/> A road provides access to Bay Avenue before Route 72 crosses the Manahawkin Bay on the [[Manahawkin Bay Bridge]], also known as the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge.<ref name="SLD"/> After traversing two small islands consisting of a mix of residences and marshland, the road continues into Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island.<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/> Upon entering Ship Bottom, the route splits into a [[one-way pair]] following West 9th Street eastbound and West 8th Street westbound.<ref name="SLD"/>  Route 72 passes by resort businesses, intersecting with Barnegat Avenue (CR 4) and Central Avenue (CR 89) before ending at the intersection of Long Beach Boulevard (CR 607) a block from the [[Atlantic Ocean]].<ref name="SLD"/><ref name=gm/>

Route 72 is a major route providing access to Long Beach Island, a popular [[Jersey Shore]] resort, from Philadelphia via Route 70 and from [[New York City]] via the Garden State Parkway.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |last=Strauss|first=Robert|access-date=2009-09-26|title=Getting There From Here Depends on Where Here Is|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 26, 2001|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/nyregion/getting-there-from-here-depends-on-where-here-is.html?scp=6&sq=new%20jersey%20%22route%2070%22&st=cse}}</ref> As such, the portion of the route east of the Garden State Parkway interchange sees congestion during the summer months.<ref name=nyt2>{{cite news |last=James|first=George|access-date=2008-10-22|title=Reaching the Beach on the Parkway Can Take a Toll|newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 23, 1999 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/23/nyregion/reaching-the-beach-on-the-parkway-can-take-a-toll.html}}</ref> It is also the only road bridge to connect Long Beach Island to the mainland; therefore, in emergency evacuations such as hurricanes, the highway and Manahawkin Bridge becomes clogged.

==History==
{{infobox road small
|state=NJ
|type=NJ 1926
|county=
|route=S40
|location= [[Woodland Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Woodland Township]]&ndash;[[Manahawkin, New Jersey|Manahawkin]]
|length_mi=
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|formed=1927<ref name=nj1927 />
|deleted=1953<ref name="nj1953" />
}}
What is now Route 72 was originally designated as Route S40 in the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]]. It was to be a spur of Route 40 that was to run from Route 40 at Four Mile to [[New Jersey Route 4|Route 4]] (now US 9) in Manahawkin.<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=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> By 1941, the route was extended east to the intersection with Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom.<ref name="mwm">{{cite map|publisher=Mid-West Map Co.|title= Map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey |year=1941|cartography=[[H.M. Gousha]]|url=http://www.mapsofpa.com/roadcart/1941_1467m.jpg|access-date=2009-03-29}}</ref> In the [[1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route S40 was renumbered to Route 72.<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=nyt3>{{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> By 1969, Route 72 was moved to a new alignment to the south between US 9 and the Manahawkin Bay Bridge; the old alignment became Route 180.<ref name="chevron">{{cite map|publisher=[[Chevron Oil Company]]|title= Map of New Jersey |year=1969|cartography=[[H.M. Gousha]]}}</ref><ref name="1969log">{{cite book|title=Milepost Log of State Highways|publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department|year=1969|edition=1969}}</ref> This route was eventually removed from the state highway system and is now CR 50, although more commonly known as "Bay Avenue".<ref name=50SLD>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/15000050__-.pdf|format=PDF|title=Ocean County 50 straight line diagram|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=2009-09-30}}</ref>

A [[freeway]] was originally proposed for the Route 72 corridor in the late 1960s. The Route 72 freeway was planned to run from the Four Mile Circle to the New Jersey Turnpike in Westampton, where it would connect to the proposed I-895 that would continue to [[Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania|I-95]] near [[Bristol, Pennsylvania]].<ref name=dvrpc>{{cite book|title=1985 Regional Transportation Plan|publisher=[[Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission]] |year=1969}}</ref><ref name=NJDOT1972>{{cite book|title=Master Plan for Transportation|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|year=1972}}</ref>   The existing Route 72 would also be widened into a four-lane divided highway.<ref name=dvrpc/> Both I-895 and Route 72 were intended to connect [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania]] and the [[Willingboro Township, New Jersey|Willingboro]] area with the Jersey Shore. The proposed freeway for Route 72 was to cost $39 million.<ref name=NJDOT1972/> However, construction costs and the desire to use money for mass transit led to cancellation of both I-895 and the Route 72 freeway by the 1980s.<ref name=inq>{{cite news|last=Nussbaum|first=Paul|title=Schuylkill carries the load of many routes left unbuilt|newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=August 19, 1984}}</ref>

In 2000, the [[Manahawkin Bay Bridge]] was dedicated the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge in honor of Dorland J. Henderson, who was one of NJDOT’s top engineers that designed the lighting system for the Manahawkin Bay Bridge.<ref name=nj2000>{{cite web|url=http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/bills/pl00/144_.htm|publisher=State of New Jersey|title=Laws of 2000, Chapter 144.|access-date=2009-09-30}}</ref> In September 2009, the NJDOT began repairs to the deck of the Manahawkin Bay Bridge. This project, completed in May 2010, cost $4 million and received funding from the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]].<ref name=app>{{cite news|last=Higgs|first=Larry|title=Route 72 bridge repair work will begin, lane closures expected|newspaper=[[Asbury Park Press]]|date=September 13, 2009}}</ref><ref name=njdot>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2009/091409.shtm|title=NJDOT to begin repairs on the Route 72 Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=2009-09-30|date=September 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name=njdot2>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/roads/route72/|title= Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge Deck Rehabilitation Project|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=August 31, 2011}}</ref> The Manahawkin Bay Bridge underwent a rehabilitation project and a parallel bridge was built to the south. Construction began on the project May 3, 2013. The new bridge was completed in 2016 and carried traffic from both directions while the older bridge was rehabilitated. The rehabilitation of the original bridge was completed in 2019, at which point traffic began using both bridges.<ref name=njdot3>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/works/studies/rte72manahawkinbaybridges/|title= Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project - Overview|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|access-date=August 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Davis|first=Mike|title=Manahawkin Bay Bridge is open! Drone footage of Route 72 causeway work in LBI, Stafford|work=Asbury Park Press|date=May 22, 2019|url=https://www.app.com/story/news/traffic/commuting/2019/05/22/lbi-bridge-toll-manahawkin-bay-bridge-construction-route-72/1150599001/|access-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref>

==Major intersections==
{{Jcttop|length_ref=<ref name="SLD"/>}}
{{NJint
|county=Burlington
|cspan=3
|mile=0.0
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|70|city1=Medford|city2=Cherry Hill|city3=Lakehurst|to2=to|NJTP||GSP|dir3=north|extra=hospital}}<hr>[[New Lisbon, New Jersey|New Lisbon]]<hr>[[Pemberton, New Jersey|Pemberton]], [[Fort Dix]], [[Mount Holly, New Jersey|Mt Holly]]
|location=Woodland Township
|lspan=3
|notes=Western terminus, [[Traffic circles in New Jersey|Four Mile Circle]]
}}
{{NJint
|mile=3.4
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|563|dir1=south|city1=Chatsworth|city2=New Gretna|location3=[[Batsto Village, New Jersey|Batsto]]}}
|notes=Northern terminus of CR 563
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|mile=8.2
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|532|dir1=west|name1=Chatsworth-Barnegat Rd|city1=Chatsworth}}
|notes=West end of the overlap with CR 532
}}
{{NJint
|county=Ocean
|cspan=7
|mile=13.7
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|539|name1=Whiting Rd|city1=Whiting|city2=Trenton|city3=Tuckerton}}
|location=Barnegat Township
|lspan=3
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|type=concur
|mile=15.8
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|532|dir1=east|name1=Warren Grove Rd|city1=Waretown|location2=[[Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey|Brookville]]|countydab2=Ocean}}<hr>{{jct|state=NJ|CR|610|county1=Ocean|dir1=west|name1=Warren Grove Rd|city1=Warren Grove}}
|notes=East end of the overlap with CR 532; western terminus of CR 610
}}
{{NJint
|mile=16.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|554|dir1=east|name1=W Bay Ave|location1=[[Barnegat Township, New Jersey|Barnegat]]}}
|notes=Western terminus of CR 554
}}
{{NJint
|mile=21.6
|mile2=21.6
|road={{jct|state=NJ|GSP2}}
|location=Stafford Township
|lspan=2
|notes=Exit 63 southbound, 63A-B northbound (Garden State Parkway)
}}
{{NJint
|mile=23.2
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|9|city1=Manahawkin|city2=Atlantic City}}
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{jctbridge
|location_special=[[Manahawkin Bay]]
|mile=26.9
|line=yes
|bridge=[[Manahawkin Bay Bridge]]
}}
{{NJint
|mile=28.7
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|607|county1=Ocean|name1=Long Beach Blvd|city1=Surf City|city2=Barnegat Light|location3=[[Long Beach Township, New Jersey|Brant Beach]]|city4=Beach Haven}}
|location=Ship Bottom
|notes=Eastern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category multi | New Jersey Route 72| County Route 50 (Ocean County, New Jersey)}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/log/6.html#72 NJ State Highways: Route 72]
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/nj_72/ Photos of NJ 72 and former NJ 180]
*[http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/NJ-72/ NJ 72 freeway]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt72.shtm Speed Limits for State Roads: Route 72]

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Jersey Route 072}}
[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|072]]
[[Category:Transportation in Burlington County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Ocean County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in the Pine Barrens (New Jersey)]]