Turnpikes

This is rather off-topic; if the moderators don't want it let me know. However, turnpikes were chartered the same as railroads and served the same purpose, just slightly earlier.
I've been researching the old turnpikes in New Jersey, and have made a map of the ones I've found at http://web.mit.edu/spui/www/nj/turnpikes.pdf. I'd appreciate any information about others or corrections to the map.
By the way, here are some connections to railroads I've found:
The Bergen Turnpike and Newark Plank Road companies both built streetcar lines along their roads.
Large sections of the Essex & Middlesex Turnpike were used for the New Jersey Railroad when it was built in the 1830s, namely the straight sections from Metropark to Rahway, Rahway to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth to Newark.
The Trenton & New Brunswick Turnpike was owned by the Joint Companies (Camden & Amboy RR, NJRR, Delaware & Raritan Canal) as part of their cross-state monopoly. Because of that monopoly, the Florence & Keyport Plank Road didn't get far.

Large sections of the Essex & Middlesex Turnpike were used for the New Jersey Railroad when it was built in the 1830s, namely the street sections from Metropark to Rahway, Rahway to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth to Newark

Absolutely correct. The Middlesex-Essex Turnpike was rendered useless when farmers gave up land to have the Edgar Shunpike built. Nobody wanted to pay the 3¢ toll at each end of the turnpike. The New Jersey Railroad certainly was a better financial venture than keeping the Turnpike open.

Incidentally, there is still a little piece of the Middlesex-Essex Turnpike in Iselin, NJ, which leads from Green Road to Metropark Station. Also, on the east side of the Northeast Corridor in Newark, there is New Jersey Railroad Avenue, which runs from Tichenor Street to Ferry Street.

Ah, I had thought Edgar Road was a turnpike, since http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/UNION_COUNT ... nionCo.jpg labels it 'Edgar Pike'.

Irish Chieftain wrote:Also, on the east side of the Northeast Corridor in Newark, there is New Jersey Railroad Avenue, which runs from Tichenor Street to Ferry Street.

However, the turnpike used Broad Street into Newark.
Here are all remaining pieces of the turnpike:
Route 27 from New Brunswick to near Evergreen Rd at Menlo Park, using the obvious road in Metuchen (Middlesex Ave)
Middlesex-Essex Tpk near Metropark (this was bypassed by in 1918 current 27 to get rid of two at-grades)
New Brunswick Ave in Rahway (the turnpike began again at Main St)
Lidgerwood Ave in Elizabeth (the turnpike began again at Broad St)
Broad St in Newark

The Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike continued west to Hamburg, New Jersey. Your current map shows it ending in Butler. It roughly followed current day Route 23 to the center of Hamburg although some realigments had been made.

Current day Route 202 although realigned had been the Boonton Turnpike between Mountain View (Wayne) and Boonton. I do not believe it went west to Denville.

The Newark and Morris Turnpike is present day Columbia Turnpike east of Morristown.

Morris & Sussex Turnpike is current day Route 124. Also there is a road south of and parallel to Route 124 called "Shunpike" which runs along the Chatham TOwnship / Madison Borough lines.

Chris

"...namely the straight sections from Metropark to Rahway, Rahway to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth to Newark."

Ah-- so that's why there's an S at Elizabeth. The two sections of turnpike didn't line up.

The updated map, as well as scans of the listing from an 1834 book, thanks to Frank Curcio, are now at http://web.mit.edu/spui/www/nj/turnpikes/. The map now has all the turnpikes I know of, as well as current route numbers.

The updated map, as well as scans of the listing from an 1834 book, thanks to Frank Curcio, are now at http://web.mit.edu/spui/www/nj/turnpikes/. The map now has all the turnpikes I know of, as well as current route numbers.

The plank road shown for Jersey City extended down thru Bayonne to the ferry. It later became the steam 'dummy railroad' right of way, the predecessor of the PSCNJ trolly line, I believe.

One other fact that has some relevance to New Jersey involves the origin of the Delaware County (PA) Red Arrow Lines ( which for a brief period in the 1960's operated two bus routes in New Jersey--- though it never operated any rail routes there). The Philadelphia & West Chester Turnpike Road Company was formed in 1849 to ultimately build a road from Phila. to West Chester, ( the road which is now PA Route 3), built several unsuccesful railway lineson the side of the road, ultimately reaching West Chester, after several "false starts" in 1898 as the Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co. This was the origin of the Red Arrow Lines which became one of the most sucessful suburban transportation companies in the US, and, just prior to its inclusion into SEPTA, ran several bus lines in New Jersey. The turnpike company and the traction company maintained a corporate relationship until the turnpike ( WC Pike) was turned over to the Pa. Highway Dept and the turnpike company was dissolved.

Ken W2KB wrote:The plank road shown for Jersey City extended down thru Bayonne to the ferry. It later became the steam 'dummy railroad' right of way, the predecessor of the PSCNJ trolly line, I believe.

Actually, as best as I can tell, the original Jersey City & Bergen RR ran where Ocean Ave and Broadway are now, while the plank road used Garfield Ave, at least in Jersey City. Unfortunately I can't tell where it went in Bayonne.

SPUI- Single Point Urban Interchange?

And, I like highways too... but this is RAILROAD.NET?

-otto-

Otto.....

I see where you are coming from, but at least it is a TRANSPORTATION topic, is NEW JERSEY related, and is HISTORICAL in nature.
Trolleys aren't exactly "trains" perse in my book, but I like to read/learn about them, too....

Just my 2 "scents"

Car Floater
MP 28 on the LVRR NY Division

Trolleys at least run on railroad tracks. The name "Railroad.net" does not encompass all transportation, merely one sector.

The only reason I participated is that one turnpike referred to was converted into what is probably the single most important piece of passenger mainline railroad in the US right now.

Mt. Pleasant Tpke. is now Rt. 10 (With some changes.) One of the places I used to live in Denville was Mt. Pleasant Tpke. It ran parallel to 10. Most other places where the original rd still exists the name has been changed to Mt. Pleasant Ave.