New Jersey Route 54

Route 54, often called 12th Street, is a state highway in Atlantic County, New Jersey, in the United States. It is like a continuation of U.S. Route 206, stretching about 11.86 miles (19.09 kilometers) from where it meets U.S. Route 206 and U.S. Route 30 in Hammonton, down to U.S. Route 40 in Buena Vista Township. Along the way, the road goes through the middle of Hammonton and then into quieter, rural parts of the area. It also connects with important roads like U.S. Route 322, Route 73 in Folsom, and the Atlantic City Expressway in Hammonton.

The idea for Route 54 started on March 30, 1938, when plans were made for it to run from Hammonton down to a place called Main Road in Landis Township, which is now part of Vineland. At first, only a small part near Buena was made into a state highway and called Route 54, while the rest stayed as a local road named Wheat Road. In 1953, the route was changed to its current path. There were once ideas in the late 1960s to build a freeway along Route 54 to connect Hammonton to Route 55 near Vineland and Millville, but those plans were later canceled.

Route description

Route 54 starts at a place where it meets US 40/County Route 557 (CR 557) and CR 619, right between Buena and Buena Vista Township. It is called Buena Hammonton Road and runs north-northeast as a two-lane road through areas with farms. It marks the line between Buena on one side and Buena Vista Township on the other. Once it fully enters Buena Vista Township and becomes 12th Street, the road turns more to the northeast. Here, Route 54 goes through wooded areas with a few homes.

When it gets to Folsom, the road goes over a railroad line run by the Cape May Seashore Lines before reaching a big crossing with US 322 (Black Horse Pike). After this, it meets Route 73, which is also called CR 561 Spur. Then Route 54 goes through a mix of woods and farms until it enters Hammonton and reaches a crossing with the Atlantic City Expressway. In this area, the road becomes a four-lane road with a middle divider.

After the Atlantic City Expressway, the road goes back to being a two-lane road and reaches a spot where it meets CR 559. From here, Route 54 passes homes and shops as it gets to the center of Hammonton. The road crosses a train line run by NJ Transit just before meeting CR 561. After CR 561, the road is called Bellevue Avenue and reaches the start of CR 542. As it leaves the downtown area, there are more homes along the road. Finally, Route 54 ends where it meets US 30 and US 206, and the road continues north as US 206.

History

By 1927, the road that is now Route 54 was just an unpaved path connecting Buena to Hammonton. Route 54 was officially created on March 30, 1938, to run from US 30 and US 206 in Hammonton south to an intersection in Landis Township. Over time, the road was improved and changed.

In 1953, Route 54 was given its current path between US 40 in Buena Vista and US 30/US 206 in Hammonton. Later, plans were made to build a freeway along the same route, but these plans were stopped because of environmental concerns and money problems. The freeway was never built.

Major intersections

The entire route of New Jersey Route 54 is located in Atlantic County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations
Buena–Buena Vista Township line	0.00	0.00	US 40 / CR 557 (Harding Highway) – Tuckahoe, Mays Landing, Malaga
Folsom	6.67	10.73	US 322 (Black Horse Pike) – Camden, Atlantic City
	7.58	12.20	Route 73 / CR 561 Spur (Mays Landing Road) – Blue Anchor, Atlantic City
Hammonton	8.71	14.02	A.C. Expressway – Camden, Philadelphia, Atlantic City
	10.01	16.11	CR 559 (Chew Road) – Blue Anchor, Weymouth
	10.65	17.14	CR 561 (Egg Harbor Road)
	10.76	17.32	CR 542 east (Central Avenue)
	11.86	19.09	US 30 (White Horse Pike) / US 206 north to N.J. Turnpike (I-95 Toll) – Berlin, Atlantic City, Trenton
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi        Tolled