County Route 516 (New Jersey)

Route description

The highway extends 19.27 miles (31.01 kilometers) from Route 18/CR 527 in Old Bridge Township to Route 36 in Middletown Township. It is known as Old Bridge-Matawan Road for its entire length in Old Bridge Township where it intersects US 9 then continues several more miles to the Old Bridge/Matawan border, where it enters Monmouth County. There it is known as New Brunswick Avenue and forms part of the boundary between Matawan and Aberdeen before fully entering Matawan. Upon crossing Main Street (NJ 79) it becomes known as Broad Street and continues past NJ 34 to another junction with Main Street (County Route 516 Spur). From there it follows Main Street north into Aberdeen Township where it is known as Lower Main Street; the name changes again upon entering Keyport where it is Maple Place. In Keyport CR 516 has a grade-separated junction with NJ 35; part of this 1965 alignment follows West Fourth Street before rejoining Maple Place and following it to Green Grove Avenue. Turning east on Green Grove Avenue, CR 516 bridges Chingarora Creek and enters Hazlet Township where it is known as Middle Road, which intersects NJ 36 and continues into Holmdel to the intersection of Laurel Avenue. It turns briefly south on Laurel Avenue, then has its second junction with NJ 35. Running concurrent with NJ 35 into Middletown Township, CR 516 then turns off onto Cherry Tree Farm Road and continues along that alignment to Leonardville Road, which it follows to its eastern terminus at NJ 36 in Middletown Township.

County Route 516 Spur

Main Street in downtown Matawan – one block west of Broad Street (mainline CR 516) – is maintained by the county as County Route 516 Spur, but is not signed as such. On county-maintained traffic signals along Main Street, it is signed as mainline CR 516. The street extends 0.90 miles (1.45 km) from the intersection of Route 79 and Route 34 to the intersection of Main and Broad Streets.

Another spur consists of Green Grove Avenue between Maple Place and First Street (County Route 6). Though heading west from Route 35 shows CR 516 making a left onto Maple Place, one CR 516 reassurance shield appears at Green Grove Avenue's intersection with First Street.

History

CR 516 was established in 1952 as a part of the 500 Series system. It incorporated part of Middlesex County Route 3-R-14 between Old Bridge and the Monmouth County line. From Old Bridge to its junction with Route 4 (now Route 79), CR 516 was concurrent with New Jersey Route S28, although always a county road. In 1953, Route S28 was renumbered as NJ 18; the concurrency ended when 18 was realigned to the south. From the Monmouth County line it absorbed part of County Route 6 through Matawan Borough and Matawan Township to Keyport. There it superseded County Route 42 in its entirety. County Route 42 consisted of Maple Place in Keyport between New Jersey Route 35 and Green Grove Avenue. County Route 42 was taken over as a county highway by resolution of the Board of Chosen Freeholders on June 21, 1939. Since 1952, no route in Monmouth County has been designated as County Route 42. From County Route 42, it continued east from Keyport east through Hazlet, Holmdel and Middletown Townships it used a part of County Route 7 to its terminus.

County Route 516 Alternate was a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It consisted of Broad Street in Matawan but was never signed differently than the parent route. Initially both Main and Broad Streets were designated as County Route 516. Broad Street was then briefly renumbered as CR 516 Alternate, with Main Street remaining as the main stem. When CR 516 was rerouted from Main Street to Broad Street, and Main Street renumbered as County Route 516 Spur, CR 516 Alternate ceased to exist.