Here's when North Jersey's major highways were built and expanded
Route 46 is a true major New Jersey highway. It starts and ends in the Garden State.
It runs east to west in the northern part of the state. It begins in Knowlton, near the Pennsylvania border, and ends at the George Washington Bridge. It runs parallel to Route 80, but unlike the interstate highway, Route 46 is less direct and has lots more distractions and stops along the way.
The New Jersey Transportation Department is tasked with maintaining these and other roadways. It's easy to tell which roadways are maintained by the department — they have been assigned a number and a circular highway shield.
The state's earliest efforts to maintain a network of highways began in 1891 after the adoption of a law that allotted funds to the state to construct highways.
Here are some noteworthy dates in the history of highways in and around North Jersey:
In the early 1800s, New Jersey experiences a boom in turnpike construction. Thirty turnpikes were built in the northern part of the state, including Union Turnpike (Morristown to Dover to Sparta), Washington Turnpike (Morristown to Delaware via Schooley's Mountain) and Parsippany & Rockaway Turnpike.
In 1906, the Holland Tunnel is proposed. Plans were drawn up starting in 1918, and construction started in 1920.
Story continues below photo gallery.
In 1908 Henry Ford introduces the Model T. By the mid-1920s, Ford had sold more than 15 million cars.
Route 5 is included in the state's new highway plans. The route ran from Newark to the Delaware and was 62 miles long.
In 1916, New Jersey begins to plan for the addition of 350 miles of roadways that would be "covered with heavy paving materials." Route 5 (which would eventually be renamed Route 6 and then Route 46) was among the roadways planned. It would be funded with money from a $7 million state bond.
In 1916, the Federal Road Act is passed. It would provide matching funds to states for road construction and improvement.
In 1921, Route 5 from Budd Lake to Hackettstown is completed.
In 1923 Swiss-born architect and engineer Othmar Ammann proposes the design that ultimately became the George Washington Bridge. It was initially known as the Hudson River Bridge.
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In 1927, New Jersey renumbers Route 5 to Route 6.
In October 1927, construction of the George Washington Bridge begins.
On Nov. 13, 1927, the Holland Tunnel opens.
Route 46 is a 2-hour long drive: Each mile is steeped in NJ history. How it came to be
In 1930, New Jersey proposes a $300 million upgrade to its roads.
In 1931, Route 6 becomes one of two highways that would feed traffic to the new GWB.
In 1931, the Paterson Bypass is envisioned. (See below)
On Oct. 25, 1931, the George Washington Bridge opens to traffic about a year earlier than planned.
In 1934, Route 6 connects to Teterboro Airport.
On Sept. 21, 1934, Route 6 connects Palisades Park to Hasbrouck Heights with a new bridge spanning the Hackensack at Little Ferry.
In 1937, Route 6 connects Clifton to Hasbrouck Heights at a cost of $1.75 million, plus $346,000 for a steel and concrete bridge over the Passaic River.
In 1939, work starts on the Paterson Bypass, a 3-mile stretch from Valley Road to the present terminus on the west bank of the Passaic.
On Dec. 15, 1941, the Paterson Bypass opens.
In 1949, Route 3 opens.
On Jan. 1, 1953, the New Jersey Highway Department renumbers many state roads, and Route 6 becomes Route 46.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Federal Highway Act.
In 1957, the Garden State Parkway and the Route 46 interchange are completed.
In 1959, Jersey barriers are introduced along a 1.6-mile section of Route 46 between Jones Road in Fort Lee and Ruby Avenue in Palisades Park.
In the 1960s, work begins on portions of Interstate 80.
In 1959, work begins on the lower deck of the George Washington Bridge. The second deck opened on Aug. 29, 1962.
In 1966, I-80 is completed from Netcong to Denville and Paterson to I-95 (GWB).
In 1969, the I-80 section from Parsippany to Route 23 opens.
In 1969, Willowbrook Mall opens. In the beginning, there was a traffic circle, but I-80 ultimately created the spaghetti bowl, where the intersection of Route 23, Route 46 and I-80 converge.
In 1971, the I-80 Wayne-to-Paterson section is completed.
In 1973, the I-80 missing link from Route 206 to Netcong and the last 4 miles from Blairstown to Columbia are completed, and the Routes 46, 94 and 80 interchanges are completed.
Post-1973, Route 46 steadily loses some of its luster.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Timeline of Route 46 (and other NJ roads) construction since 1800
