Editing New Jersey Route 37

{{Short description|State highway in Ocean County, New Jersey, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=NJ
|route=37
|length_mi=13.4
|length_ref=<ref name="njsld">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000037__-.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317191018/https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000037__-.pdf |archive-date=2020-03-17 |url-status=live|title=Route 37 straight line diagram|publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]|access-date=March 17, 2020}}</ref>
|map={{maplink-road}}
|map_custom=yes
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|70}} in [[Lakehurst, New Jersey|Lakehurst]]
|junction={{plainlist|
*{{jct|state=NJ|CR|527}} in [[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]]
*{{jct|state=NJ|US|9|GSP2}} in Toms River 
*{{jct|state=NJ|NJ|166}} in Toms River 
}}
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|35}} in [[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]]
|established=1927
|counties=[[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean]]
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=36
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=38

}}
'''Route 37''' is a [[state highway]] located in [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean County]], [[New Jersey]], [[United States]]. The route runs {{convert|13.4|mi|km|2|abbr=on}} from a [[traffic circle]] with [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]] in [[Lakehurst, New Jersey|Lakehurst]] east to an interchange with [[New Jersey Route 35|Route 35]] in [[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]]. A two&ndash; to six&ndash;lane [[divided highway]] its entire length, Route 37 serves as the major east&ndash;west route through the [[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]] area as well as a main route to the [[Barnegat Peninsula]], crossing the [[Barnegat Bay]] on the [[Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges]].  The route through Toms River is lined with many businesses and named '''Little League World Champions Boulevard''' in honor of [[1998 Little League World Series Champions|Toms River East Little League's]] victory in the [[1998 Little League World Series]]. Route 37 intersects many major roads in the Toms River area, including [[County Route 527 (New Jersey)|CR 527]], the [[Garden State Parkway]]/[[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]], [[New Jersey Route 166|Route 166]], [[County Route 549 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;549]], and [[County Route 571 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;571]]. The route experiences congestion from both development in the area and from traffic bound for the barrier islands in the summer.

Route 37 was first legislated in 1927 in two sections: one running from [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] to [[White Horse, New Jersey|White Horse]] along the current [[U.S. Route 206|US 206]] alignment that replaced part of [[Pre-1927 Route 2 (New Jersey)|Pre-1927 Route 2]] and the other running from Lakehurst to [[Point Pleasant, New Jersey|Point Pleasant]] that replaced part of [[Pre-1927 Route 18 (New Jersey)|Pre-1927 Route 18]] between Lakehurst and Toms River. In 1953, Route 37 was legislated along its current alignment, with the designation dropped on the Trenton&ndash;White Horse segment to avoid the concurrency with US 206 and the Seaside Heights&ndash;Point Pleasant section becoming a realignment of Route 35. Route 37 was then proposed in the 1960s as a [[freeway]] running from White Horse to Seaside Heights. This freeway proposal was eventually altered to create [[Interstate 195 (New Jersey)|I-195]], running from Trenton to [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]].

==Route description==
[[File:Lakehurst Circle.jpg|thumb|left|Route 37 at its western terminus at Route 70 at the Lakehurst Circle]]
Route 37 begins at the Lakehurst Circle with [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]] in [[Lakehurst, New Jersey|Lakehurst]], heading east first briefly as an undivided two-lane road, then becoming a four&ndash;lane [[Dual carriageway|divided highway]]. Soon after beginning, the route crosses into [[Manchester Township, New Jersey|Manchester]].<ref name="njsld" /> It intersects with Commonwealth Boulevard, which provides access to the [[Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park, New Jersey|Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park]] community, before crossing into [[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]].<ref name="njsld" /><ref name=gm>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Rte+37+%26+Rte+70,+Lakehurst,+Ocean,+New+Jersey+08733&daddr=route+35+and+route+37+seaside+heights,+nj&geocode=&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=39.981782,-74.188972&sspn=0.247286,0.439453&ie=UTF8&ll=39.976068,-74.188614&spn=0.247307,0.439453&t=h&z=11 |title=overview of New Jersey Route 37 |access-date=2009-04-01}}</ref> Route 37 continues east with many intersections that feature [[jughandle]]s and at the intersection with Industrial Way, the road widens to six lanes.<ref name="njsld" /> Route 37 passes to the north of [[Holiday City - Silver Ridge Park]], an age-restricted community which contributes to the large population of senior residents in the area.<ref name="njsld" /><ref name=gm/> The route crosses [[Conrail Shared Assets Operations]]' Toms River Industrial Track line before it meets the intersection of Mule Road ([[List of county routes in Ocean County, New Jersey#642-2|CR 642]]) and Oak Ridge Parkway/Lakehurst Road ([[County Route 527 (New Jersey)|CR 527]]). After the intersection of Oak Ridge Parkway/Lakehurst Road (CR 527), the route passes north of [[Community Medical Center (New Jersey)|Community Medical Center]] and crosses over the North Branch of the [[Toms River]].<ref name="njsld" />

	
[[File:2018-09-19 14 25 46 View east along New Jersey State Route 37 just east of Coolidge Avenue in Toms River Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|Route 37 eastbound past CR 70 in Toms River]]
Route 37 features a [[Cloverleaf interchange|cloverleaf interchange]] with the [[Garden State Parkway]]/[[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US 9]]. Past the Garden State Parkway, the route crosses the former alignment of US 9, [[New Jersey Route 166|Route 166]].<ref name="njsld" /> Past this intersection, Route 37 becomes a road lined with several businesses.<ref name=gm />  The route intersects with Hooper Avenue ([[County Route 549 (New Jersey)|CR 549]]) and Clifton Avenue ([[List of county routes in Ocean County, New Jersey#38|CR 38]]). Vaughn Avenue/West End Avenue ([[List of county routes in Ocean County, New Jersey#627|CR 627]]) intersects next and Route 37 runs along the border between Toms River to the north and [[Island Heights, New Jersey|Island Heights]] to the south.<ref name="njsld" /> Route 37 meets the intersection of Central Avenue (CR 627) and fully enters Toms River again at the intersection of Gilford Avenue. Further east, the route intersects with Fischer Boulevard ([[County Route 549 (New Jersey)#CR 549 Spur|CR 549 Spur]]/[[County Route 571 (New Jersey)|CR 571]]).<ref name="njsld" />

Route 37 crosses the [[Barnegat Bay]] on the [[Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges]] with the eastbound bridge featuring a [[Moveable bridge|drawbridge]] that allows ships to pass through while the westbound bridge is a higher-level span.<ref name="njsld" /><ref name=gm/>  The route continues onto [[Pelican Island (New Jersey)|Pelican Island]] in the Barnegat Bay, crossing into a small piece of [[Berkeley Township, New Jersey|Berkeley Township]]. Route 37 crosses over a part of the Barnegat Bay and heads onto the [[Barnegat Peninsula]], where the route comes to its eastern terminus at an interchange with [[New Jersey Route 35|Route 35]] on the border of Berkeley Township and [[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]]. At this interchange, access to Seaside Heights is provided by a ramp from northbound Route 35 a short distance past the ramp from eastbound Route 37, connecting to Sumner Avenue, while access from Seaside Heights to westbound Route 37 is provided by a direct ramp from Hamilton Avenue.<ref name="njsld" />

Due to the area's vacationers, many of which come from [[New York (state)|New York]] and [[North Jersey|Northern New Jersey]], Route 37 is routinely congested with seasonal traffic in the summer, especially on and around the Mathis and Tunney Bridges and at the interchange with the Garden State Parkway as heavy tourist traffic converges on the shore.<ref name=nyt>{{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> Additionally, the road sees congestion due to the area's rapid growth in commercial development.<ref name=trt>{{cite news |last=La Russo|first=Jo Ann|title=Township Master Plan Seeks To Address Traffic, Growth|publisher=Toms River Times|date=August 19, 2006}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:2020-09-13 09 16 45 View west along New Jersey State Route 37 at the exit for U.S. Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway SOUTH (Atlantic City) in Toms River Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|View west along Route 37 at the Garden State Parkway and US 9 in Toms River Township]]
The road from Toms River to Seaside Heights was part of the Jersey Coast Way, which stretched from Cape May to the Staten Island Ferry.<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> Prior to 1927, the route between present-day [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]] in [[Lakehurst, New Jersey|Lakehurst]] and present-day [[County Route 527 (New Jersey)|CR 527]] in [[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]] was a part of [[Pre-1927 Route 18 (New Jersey)|Pre-1927 Route 18]], which was legislated in 1923 to run from [[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]] to Toms River.<ref name="1920r18">State of New Jersey, Laws of 1923, Chapter 184.</ref> In the [[1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering]], Route 37 was legislated to run from [[New Jersey Route 27|Route 27]] and [[New Jersey Route 30|Route 30]] (now [[U.S. Route 1 Business (Trenton, New Jersey)|Business US 1]], [[U.S. Route 206|US 206]], and [[New Jersey Route 31|Route 31]]) in [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] to [[New Jersey Route 35|Route 35]] (now [[New Jersey Route 88|Route 88]]) in [[Point Pleasant, New Jersey|Point Pleasant]], passing through [[White Horse, New Jersey|White Horse]], [[Allentown, New Jersey|Allentown]], Lakehurst, Toms River, and [[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]].<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> The portion between Trenton and White Horse replaced part of [[Pre-1927 Route 2 (New Jersey)|Pre-1927 Route 2]], while the portion between Lakehurst and Toms River replaced part of Pre-1927 Route 18.<ref name="1920r18 " /><ref name="Map2">{{cite map |url=http://www.jimmyandsharonwilliams.com/njroads/1920s/maps/1922rm1.jpg|title=Official Auto Trail Map - District 7|publisher=[[Rand McNally]]|year=1922|access-date=2008-10-20}}</ref>

[[File:CR 539 NJ 37 bridge closeup 1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Bridge stamp for former alignment of Route 37 along CR 539 in Monmouth County]]
Following the 1927 renumbering, Route 37 existed in multiple separate sections: one running from the Trenton–[[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton]] line to the [[White Horse, New Jersey#White Horse Circle|White Horse Circle]] ([[Concurrency (road)|concurrently]] with US&nbsp;206), the crossing of Gropp Lake in Hamilton (currently a state-maintained section of [[County Route 524 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;524]]), a {{convert|1/2|mi|km|adj=on}} segment between Hamilton and [[Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey|Upper Freehold]] west of [[Allentown, New Jersey|Allentown]] (also current CR&nbsp;524), a section of current [[County Route 539 (New Jersey)|CR&nbsp;539]] between Burlington Path Road in Upper Freehold and Hornerstown Road in [[Plumsted Township, New Jersey|Plumsted Township]], and one running from [[New Jersey Route 40|Route 40]] (now [[New Jersey Route 70|Route 70]]) in Lakehurst to Point Pleasant.<ref name=1939MerCo>{{cite map |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23853286 |sheet=2 |title=General Highway Map - Mercer County, New Jersey |publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department |year=1939 |access-date=July 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name=1939MonCo>{{cite map |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23853353 |sheet=3 |title=General Highway Map - Monmouth County, New Jersey |publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department |year=1939 |access-date=July 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name=1939OcCo>{{cite map |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23853409 |sheets=6-9 |title=General Highway Map - Ocean County, New Jersey |publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department |year=1939 |access-date=July 4, 2018}}</ref>  The remainder of the route between White Horse and Lakehurst remained incomplete.<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 37 was legislated to run along its current alignment from Route 70 in Lakehurst to Route 35 in Seaside Heights. The number was dropped between Trenton and White Horse in favor of US&nbsp;206, while the section between Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant became a realignment of Route 35.<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>

[[File:2021-09-21 13 45 08 View west along New Jersey State Route 37 from the overpass for U.S. Route 9 and New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway in Toms River Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|right|View westbound along Route 37 from the Garden State Parkway and US 9 in Toms River]]
Route 37 was proposed in the late 1960s as a [[freeway]] that was to run from [[New Jersey Route 29|Route 29]] in the [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] area to [[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]]. It was suggested that this freeway be completed by 1975 in order to handle a rapid growth of population in Central New Jersey.<ref name=NJSHD1965>{{cite book|title=Plans for a Central Jersey Expressway System|publisher=New Jersey State Highway Department|year=1965}}</ref> In 1967, this proposal was altered to build a road that compromised with the proposed [[New Jersey Route 38|Route 38]] freeway between [[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]] and [[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]]. It soon received federal funding and was built as [[Interstate 195 (New Jersey)|I-195]], running from Trenton to Wall Township.<ref name=NJDOT1967>{{cite book|title=Route 37 Freeway Relocation Study|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|year=1967}}</ref><ref name=NJDOT1967ii>{{cite book|title=New Jersey Highway Facts|publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation|year=1967}}</ref>

The portion of Route 37 within [[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]] was officially named Little League World Champions Boulevard in 1998 following [[1998 Little League World Series Champions|Toms River East Little League's]] victory in the [[1998 Little League World Series]].<ref name=nyt2>{{cite news |last=Sucato|first=Kirsty|access-date=2008-10-20|title=GOVERNMENT; Trenton Takes On Impact Fees, Licenses and Little League|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 20, 1998 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9E07E2D91630F933A1575AC0A96E958260}}</ref><ref name=ocl>{{cite web|url=http://theoceancountylibrary.org/Branches/TR/trcomprofile.htm|title=Dover Township Community Profile|publisher=[[Ocean County Library]]|access-date=2008-10-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828120355/http://theoceancountylibrary.org/Branches/TR/trcomprofile.htm|archive-date=2008-08-28}}</ref>

==Major intersections==
{{jcttop|state=NJ|county=Ocean|length_ref=<ref name="njsld"/>}}
{{NJint
|location=Lakehurst
|mile=0.0
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|70|city1=Camden|location2=[[Lakewood Township, New Jersey|Lakewood]]|location3=[[Point Pleasant, New Jersey|Pt Pleasant]]|location4=[[Asbury Park, New Jersey|Asbury Pk]]}}
|notes=Lakehurst Circle; western terminus 
}}
{{NJint
|location=Toms River
|lspan=5
|mile=5.1
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|527|name1=Oak Ridge Pkwy/Lakehurst Rd}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=6.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|9|GSP2|city1=Atlantic City|location2=[[Lakewood Township, New Jersey|Lakewood]]|location3=[[Woodbridge Township, New Jersey|Woodbridge]]|location4=[[New York City|New York]]}}
|notes=[[Cloverleaf interchange]]; Exits 82A-B (Garden State Parkway)
}}
{{NJint
|mile=6.6
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|166|name1=Main St|location1=[[Lakewood Township, New Jersey|Lakewood]]|city2=Beachwood}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=7.3
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR|549|name1=Hooper Ave|location1=[[Brick Township, New Jersey|Brick Twp]]|city2=Toms River}}
|notes=
}}
{{NJint
|mile=10.8
|road={{jct|state=NJ|CR-Spur|549|dir1=north|CR|571|dir2=west|name2=Fischer Blvd|location1=[[Brick Township, New Jersey|Brick Twp]]}}
|notes=Southern terminus of CR 549 Spur (southern segment) and CR 571
}}
{{jctbridge
|state=NJ
|location_special=[[Barnegat Bay]]
|mile=11.9
|bridge=[[Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges]]
}}
{{NJint
|location1=Berkeley Township
|location2=Seaside Heights
|mile=13.4
|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|35|location1=[[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Hts]]|location2=[[Point Pleasant, New Jersey|Pt Pleasant]]|city3=Seaside Park|location4=[[Island Beach State Park|Island Beach]]}}
|notes=Interchange; eastern terminus; access from Seaside Heights via the ramp from Hamilton Avenue
}} 
{{jctbtm}}

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

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|New Jersey Route 37}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/enlarged_view_19.pdf An enlarged view of road jurisdiction on NJ 35 and NJ 37 at the western ends of the Mathis / Tunney Bridges]
*[http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/nj_37/ New Jersey Roads: Route 37]
*[http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt37.shtm Speed Limits for Route 37]
*[http://www.greaternyroads.info/roads/njstate/nj37 NJ 37 (Greater New York Roads)]

{{good article}}

[[Category:State highways in New Jersey|037]]
[[Category:Intracoastal Waterway]]
[[Category:Transportation in Ocean County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in the Pine Barrens (New Jersey)]]