Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Interstate 280 New Jersey - West 08/29/05 photos taken by Alex Nitzman / Andy Field. Interstate 280 West Interstate 280 begins at the Exit 15W trumpet interchange from Interstate 95W. After paying tolls, drivers turn southward and quickly enter a three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with Hudson County 508 (Newark-Jersey City Turnpike). Photo taken 08/29/05. Hudson County 508 west enters industrial areas of east Kearny en route to Harrison Avenue in Harrison from Exit 17B. Photo taken 08/29/05. A loop ramp carries drivers onto Hudson County 508 east toward Kearny Point and its end at New Jersey 7. New Jersey 7 continues the drive eastward to Jersey City. Photo taken 08/29/05. The first westbound reassurance shield posted for Interstate 280 after the directional ramps from Hudson County 508 west. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 16 departs Interstate 280 next onto Essex Street in Harrison. Photo taken 08/29/05. The city of Newark skyline appears along the western horizon of Interstate 280 west. Photo taken 08/29/05. Four interchanges serve the city of Newark over the course of the next three miles. New Jersey 21 (Exit 15) represents the first exit in 1.5 miles. Photo taken 08/29/05. This guide sign lists the sections of Newark served by Interstate 280's exits. Photo taken 08/29/05. Essex Street follows Interstate 280 west from Exit 16 to 5th Street and Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard in Harrison. Rodgers Boulevard joins the freeway with central Harrison at Hudson County 508 (Harrison Avenue). Photo taken 08/29/05. A series of draw bridge signs advise motorists of any stoppages on the forth coming Passaic River crossing. Photos taken 08/29/05. Interstate 280 crosses the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison via a six-lane lift bridge. The draw span is one of a handful on the Interstate system. Designated the William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge, the Passaic River span was built between 1948-49. Opened on May 1, 1949, the bridge became part of the interstate system in 1971. Rarely opened for vessels below, the 209.6 meter long bridge is now considered obsolete.1 Photos taken 08/29/05. Ramps to New Jersey 21 (Exits 15A/B) depart Interstate 280 immediately after the draw bridge. New Jersey 21 straddles the Passiac River along the McCarter Highway surface boulevard through the downtown Newark area. Interests to University Heights and its colleges should use Exits 14B or 13. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 15B/A depart Interstate 280 west simultaneously for New Jersey 21. New Jersey 21 upgrades to a double-deck freeway at 3rd Avenue en route to Rutherford and Passiac. The southbound state route travels through downtown and the Ironbound section of the city, serving traffic to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Photo taken 08/29/05. The substandard nature of Interstate 280 is quite evident in this westbound scene on the viaduct over New Jersey 21. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 14B quickly departs for Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broad Street via State Street and University Heights. The University Heights area is home to Essex County College, Rutgers-Newark - The State University of New Jersey and New Jersey's Science & Technology University (NJIT). Photo taken 08/29/05. Clifton Avenue travels north from Norfolk and Orange streets to 8th Avenue at the end of the Exit 14A off-ramp from Interstate 280. Clifton Avenue continues north to Branch Brook Park. Photo taken 08/29/05. Westbound Interstate 280 at Exit 14A to Clifton Avenue. Clifton Avenue heads north all the way to Verona Avenue near the Newark city line. Interstate 280 meanwhile sinks below grade. Photo taken 08/29/05. Interstate 280 skims the south end of Branch Brook Park on another a viaduct. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 13 departs next for Orange and 6th Streets and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Photo taken 08/29/05. 6th Street leads south from parallel Orange Street to Market Street near Central Avenue (Essex County 508). Orange Street follows Interstate 280 west to 14th and Main Streets. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 13 partitions into a ramp for 6th Street south and a right-turn onto 5th Street north to Orange Street. 5th Street travels through a residential area to Park Avenue. Photo taken 08/29/05. A three-lane on-ramp merges onto the left-hand side of Interstate 280 west from 1st Street. This ramp is of significance in that it represents the planned north end of unconstructed New Jersey 75. New Jersey 75 was to join Interstate 280 with New Jersey 21 between Newark and Belleville. Known as the Newark Midtown Freeway, the route was aimed at providing congestion relief of the Garden State Parkway, doubling as a truck route. Design elements including a dual freeway with four local lanes and six express lanes. Cancelled in 1973 due to construction costs estimated in 1969 at $115 million, only interchanges at the planned ends were ever built.2 Photo taken 08/29/05. Five westbound lanes travel between 1st Street (Exit 13) to the Garden State Parkway (Exit 12B) and Clinton Street (Exit 12A). Photo taken 08/29/05. A tri-level stack connects Interstate 280 with the Garden State Parkway access road. Exit 12A skims the north edge of the interchange as a collector/distributor roadway to Freeway Drive in East Orange. Photo taken 08/29/05. Before entering the toll plaza for the GSP, Exit 12B yields a ramp to Oraton Parkway north ahead of its intersection with Freeway Drive. Oraton Parkway provides a frontage road system to the Garden State Parkway. Photo taken 08/29/05. Drivers pass under the Garden State Parkway mainline and adjacent Oraton Parkway ahead of the c/d roadway split with the ramp to Freeway Drive. Freeway Drive intersects Walnut, Burnett, and Clinton Streets nearby. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 11B joins Interstate 280 with Freeway Drive west at Center Street. The frontage road provides the access to Day Street and Essex Avenue in Orange. Photo taken 08/29/05. Day Street travels north-south between Henry and Washington Streets. Essex Avenue extends further south to Essex County 508 (Central Avenue). Photo taken 08/29/05. Westbound at the Exit 11B ramp departure in Orange. Essex Avenue meets Main Street nearby as Freeway Drive ends as the return ramp to Interstate 280. Photo taken 08/29/05. Essex County 508 (Northfield Avenue) interchanges with Interstate 280 at Exit 10 in West Orange. Photo taken 08/29/05. Interstate 280 curves northwest at Jefferson Street toward the Exit 10 off-ramp to Essex County 508. Northfield Avenue west to Essex County 577 south leads drivers to South Orange. Montclair lies northward via various surface streets. County Road 508 tallies 16.14 miles between New Jersey 10 at Livingston to New Jersey 7 in Kearny. Photo taken 08/29/05. Drivers heading west to Exit 8 face a 6% upgrade as the freeway ascends First Watchung Mountain. Essex County 577 meets the freeway at a six-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange midway between its drive between South Orange and Cedar Grove. Photo taken 08/29/05. Generous rock cuts line the sides of Interstate 280 on First Watchung Mountain. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 8B departs Interstate 280 west for Prospect Avenue north to Verona and Cedar Grove. Essex County 577 ends in Verona at Essex County 506 (Bloomfield Avenue) near the southern terminus of New Jersey 23. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 8A follows onto Essex County 577 (Prospect Avenue) south to junction New Jersey 10 and Northfield Avenue in West Orange. Photo taken 08/29/05. Motorists again descend toward the Exit 7 folded-diamond interchange with Pleasant Valley Way. Pleasant Valley Way meets the freeway at Pleasantdale south of Verona. Photo taken 08/29/05. Another ascend looms in the background as Interstate 280 parts ways with Exit 7 to Pleasant Valley Way. Drivers heading south enter the South Mountain Reservation on the drive to Millburn. Photo taken 08/29/05. A dramatic rise along Second Netcong Mountain culminates with the six-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange at Laurel Avenue. Photo taken 08/29/05. Laurel Avenue north travels east from Exit 6B to Eagle Rock Avenue at Pleasantdale. Photo taken 08/29/05. Laurel Avenue continues west through West Orange and splits with Shrewsbury Drive south to Millburn. Photo taken 08/29/05. A full-cloverleaf interchange facilitates the movements between Interstate 280 and Essex County 527 (Livingston Avenue) at Exits 5B/A. Photo taken 08/29/05. Essex County 527 north travels to Roseland, Essex Falls, and Caldwell, utilizing several surface roads to its end at New Jersey 23 in Cedar Grove. Interests to West and North Caldwell can use Exit 5B. Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 5A loops onto Livingston Avenue southbound to junction New Jersey 10 (Mt. Pleasant Avenue) in Livingston. County Route 527 travels 85.22 miles between New Jersey 166 at Toms River and Cedar Grove. Photo taken 08/29/05. Eisenhower Parkway meets Interstate 280 at the next full-cloverleaf interchange (Exits 4B/A). The divided highway travels north from Essex County 510 (South Orange Avenue) to an abrupt end north of the freeway. The parkway had grander plans, that included a connection with New Jersey 24 where an abandoned full-cloverleaf interchange remains in Chatham.2 Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 4B serves a handful of office buildings on the short stub of Eisenhower Parkway northbound. Photo taken 08/29/05. Westbound at the Exit 4A ramp to Eisenhower Parkway south to Roseland and junction New Jersey 10 (Mt. Pleasant Avenue) in Livingston. Photo taken 08/29/05 Interstate 280 crosses the Passaic River and enters Morris County. The freeway travels across Hatfield Swamp on the one mile approach to Exit 1 (Edwards Road / New Road). Photo taken 08/29/05. Exit 1 provides access to U.S. 46 via either Edwards or New Roads north near Pine Brook. U.S. 46 parallels Interstate 80 closely east to Clinton and west to Parsippany. Photo taken 08/29/05. A partial-cloverleaf interchange joins Interstate 280 with Edwards Road south of its split with New Road. Edwards Road parallels the eastbound side of Interstate 280 to Ridgedale Avenue and East Hanover. Photo taken 08/29/05. Interstate 280 defaults onto Interstate 80 west after the Exit 1 ramp departure to Edwards Road. There is no direct access to Interstate 80 east and instead drivers bound for that direction must use U.S. 46 east to Hook Mountain Road. Photo taken 08/29/05. Interstate 280 ends in one mile at a double partial "Y" interchange. Ramps split between the Interstate 80w eastbound mainline and a collector/distributor roadway for Interstate 287 and U.S. 46 at Parsippany. Photo taken 08/29/05. End Interstate 280 end sign assembly posted ahead of the ramp split to Interstate 80 west and Interstate 287. Interstate 80 sees the Delaware Water Gap as its destination. The water gap is a scenic cut in the mountains where Interstate 80 crosses the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. Photo taken 08/29/05. Sources: William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge, Nicolas Janberg's Structurae. Kevin Porter. Page Updated July 1, 2009.