# New Jersey Route 34

Route 34 is a state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The route runs 26.7 mi (43.0 km) from an intersection of Route 35 and Route 70 (the former Brielle Circle) in Wall Township, Monmouth County, north to an interchange with US 9 in Old Bridge, Middlesex County. The route is a four-lane divided highway between its southern terminus and the north end of the Route 33 concurrency in Howell; along this stretch, the route interchanges with the Garden State Parkway and I-195/Route 138 within a short distance of each other. North of Route 33, Route 34 is an undivided two- to four-lane road that interchanges with Route 18 in Colts Neck and intersects with Route 79 in Matawan. Route 34 passes through mostly suburban areas along its route.
The route was legislated in 1927 to run from Route 35 (present Route 88) in Laurelton north to Route 4 (present Route 79) in Matawan. The current alignment of Route 34 north of Matawan was a part of Route 4 (and later US 9) until it became a part of Route 4A following a realignment of US 9 and Route 4. In 1953, Route 34 was extended north along Route 4A to end at US 9 in Old Bridge. Meanwhile, the southern terminus was cut back to its current location with the route south of that point becoming a part of Route 70. Since 1953, the southern portion of the route was widened into a divided highway and the Brielle Circle was replaced.

## Route description

Route 34 begins at an intersection of Route 35 and Route 70 in Wall Township, Monmouth County, at the former Brielle Circle, heading to the northwest on a six-lane undivided road. A short distance past this intersection, the route becomes a four-lane divided highway that passes through suburban development with some woods. It passes over the Capital to Coast Trail and meets CR 524 Spur before reaching the Allenwood Circle, where Route 34 intersects with CR 524. Past the Allenwood Circle, the road continues northwest to a partial interchange with the Garden State Parkway. This interchange has access to the northbound Garden State Parkway from northbound Route 34, to the southbound Garden State Parkway from southbound Route 34, and to both directions of Route 34 from the southbound Garden State Parkway. Immediately past this interchange, the road intersects with West 18th Avenue (CR 30) before coming to a cloverleaf interchange with I-195 and Route 138. Route 34 provides the missing movements between the southbound Garden State Parkway and I-195/Route 138. From here, the road passes through woodland before heading into commercial and industrial areas, where it passes by the Wall Stadium racetrack and the Monmouth Executive Airport. The route enters wooded residential and business areas where it intersects with Belmar Boulevard and Megill Road, which are both distinct segments of CR 18. Route 34 continues north before it intersects with Route 33 and CR 547 at the Collingwood Circle.
At the traffic circle, Route 34 turns northwest to run concurrently with Route 33 on a four-lane divided highway that passes businesses, crossing into Howell and passing over the Southern Secondary railroad line operated by the Delaware & Raritan River Railroad. The two routes eventually split; Route 34 heads north on a two-lane undivided road. It passes through wooded areas of Naval Weapons Station Earle and enters Colts Neck. Upon leaving the grounds of Naval Weapons Station Earle, the route widens into a four-lane divided highway again and comes to a cloverleaf interchange with Route 18. Past this interchange, Route 34 becomes a two-lane undivided road that passes development and Delicious Orchards before crossing the intersection of CR 537. From here, the road heads past suburban neighborhoods and farmland, intersecting with Phalanx Road (CR 54) before meeting the intersection of Conover Road (CR 4). Route 34 briefly runs concurrently with CR 4 until the county route heads northeast on South Street. The route continues into wooded areas of homes, crossing into Holmdel, where it intersects with Newman Springs Road/West Main Street (CR 520).
After this intersection, the road continues past homes and farms before turning northwest and entering Marlboro. Here, the road heads through wooded residential and commercial areas, briefly becoming a four-lane road, before it crosses into Aberdeen. In Aberdeen, Route 34 heads into business areas as it crosses the intersection of Lloyd Road (CR 3). The road becomes a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, forming the border of Matawan to the west and Aberdeen to the east. Upon passing under the Henry Hudson Trail, the route entirely enters Matawan, continuing northwest as four-lane Middlesex Street. Here, Route 34 intersects with Broad Street (CR 516) and Route 79 and Main Street (CR 516 Spur). Following these intersections, the road heads into residential and business areas, crossing over Lake Lefferts.
Route 34 crosses into Old Bridge, Middlesex County, where it becomes a two-lane road, continuing through commercial areas. The route intersects with Morristown Road (CR 689) and Amboy Road (CR 645), where it turns to the west and passes through areas of residences and businesses and reaches the intersection of Cottrell Road (CR 687). At the intersection of Cottrell Road (CR 687), Route 34 turns to the north and intersects with Spring Hill Road. The road continues north and ends at a partial interchange with US 9, with access to northbound US 9 and access from southbound US 9. Missing movements between Route 34 and US 9 are provided by Perrine Road to the south.

## History

The Holmdel and Middletown Point Turnpike was a turnpike chartered on February 28, 1862, and ran between Holmdel and Middletown Point (now Matawan). The road's trajectory is now roughly followed by Route 34.
In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 34 was legislated to run from an intersection with Route 35 (now Route 88 in Laurelton, Ocean County, north to Route 4 (now Route 79) in Matawan, with the portion of current Route 34 north of that intersection legislated as part of Route 4. By the 1940s, US 9 was also designated along the present-day portion of Route 34 that was then a part of Route 4, this would later become Route 4A after US 9 and Route 4 were moved to a new alignment between Freehold and Cheesequake. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 34 was extended north along the alignment of Route 4A to end at US 9 in Cheesequake while the southern terminus was cut back to the Brielle Circle intersection with Route 35 and Route 70, the latter having replaced Route 34 south of this point. By 1969, Route 34 was widened into a divided highway as far north as Route 33. The Brielle Circle at the southern terminus of the route was converted into at-grade intersections with traffic lights in 2001.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 0.0 | 0.0 | Route 35 north – Belmar Route 35 south – Seaside Pk Route 70 west – Lakehurst, Camden | Former Brielle Circle; southern terminus; eastern terminus of Route 70 |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 1.9 | 3.1 | CR 524 Spur – Farmingdale, Sea Girt, Manasquan | Interchange |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 2.6 | 4.2 | CR 524 – Farmingdale, Spring Lake | Allenwood Circle |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 3.5– 3.6 | 5.6– 5.8 | G.S. Parkway | Exit 98 (Garden State Parkway) |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 4.1 | 6.6 | I-195 west – Trenton Route 138 east – Belmar | Exits 35A-B (I-195/Route 138); Eastern terminus of I-195Western terminus of Route 138 |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 7.2 | 11.6 | Wyckoff Rd | Southern terminus of CR 547 Spur |
| Monmouth | Wall Township | 7.7 | 12.4 | Route 33 east / CR 547 north to G.S. Parkway – Ocean Grove CR 547 south – Farmingdale | Collingwood Circle; south end of the overlap with Route 33; access to Jersey Shore University Medical Center |
| Monmouth | Howell Township | 8.7 | 14.0 | Route 33 west – Freehold, Trenton | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of the overlap with Route 33; to Inspection Station |
| Monmouth | Colts Neck Township | 12.2 | 19.6 | Route 18 – New Brunswick, Tinton Falls | Exits 19A-B (Route 18) |
| Monmouth | Colts Neck Township | 13.2 | 21.2 | CR 537 – Freehold, Eatontown, Ft Monmouth | |
| Monmouth | Holmdel Township | 17.4 | 28.0 | CR 520 (Newman Springs Rd/W Main St) – Bradevelt, Holmdel | |
| Monmouth | Matawan | 22.3 | 35.9 | CR 516 (Broad St) – Old Bridge, Keyport | Access to Aberdeen-Matawan Station |
| Monmouth | Matawan | 22.4 | 36.0 | Route 79 south Main St to G.S. Parkway | Northern terminus of Route 79Western terminus of CR 516 Spur |
| Middlesex | Old Bridge Township | 26.7 | 43.0 | US 9 north | Northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access Tolled ||||||