Maps by NJDOT.

In 1969, in response to the re-extending of the original Somerset Freeway (I-95) plans back into Middlesex County, a new 'connector' was planned between the Somerset Freeway (I-95) and the Middlesex Freeway (I-287) near the former proposed junction of the two roads at current Middlesex Freeway (I-287) Exit 10.  This connector, named the Somerset Freeway Spur and designated as Interstate 695, was planned to allow for traffic movements in the northeast-southwest direction via the Middlesex Freeway (I-287) and the Somerset Freeway (I-95).  The new connector would allow traffic coming to and from the Philadelphia area to bypass metropolitan New York City, similar to how the southern section of the New Jersey Turnpike (NJ 700) allows traffic to bypass metropolitan Philadelphia.  In actual usage, traffic would use the connector similarly to how traffic coming from the Harrisburg / Allentown areas via the Newark-Phillipsburg Expressway (I-78) and traffic coming from the Scranton area via the Bergen-Passaic Expressway (I-80) uses the Middlesex Freeway (I-287), New York Thruway (I-87/I-287), and the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) to bypass the region.  In this role, the Somerset Freeway Spur (I-695) together with the Somerset Freeway (I-95) south of the spur would have provided an invaluable interregional traffic service which is missing today. One unfortunate change of plans is obvious here.  The Princeton-Hightstown Bypass (NJ 92), which had been previously planned to connect directly with the Somerset Freeway (I-95), had not been extended further west when the Somerset Freeway (I-95) had been pushed out of Princeton Township.  Instead, it now only connected directly to existing Van Horne Road (US 206).  This likely contributed to local allegations that neither road would do much to alleviate existing traffic conditions, and ultimately may have helped lead to both roads downfall. Another 'connector' was the proposed Ewingville Bypass (NJ 31) which appears near the southwestern corner of the map.  This new freeway was likely planned to serve Trenton-bound traffic which had travelled down the Somerset Freeway (I-95), and thus would've functioned as an extension of the Somerset Freeway (I-95) into downtown Trenton.  A close up map of the Ewingville Bypass (NJ 31) is shown below:

The Ewingville Bypass (NJ 31) as shown here would have bypassed Pennington Road (current NJ 31) and the Ewingville area, and then would have connected with the Trenton Freeway (US 1) at the current Trenton-New Brunswick Turnpike (Business US 1) and Lawrenceville Road (US 206) exit.  This exit is already semi-freeway grade, though it has some defficient design features such as lack of acceleration and deceleration lanes.  These may have been planned to be corrected had the Ewingville Bypass (NJ 31) been built.  While the Ewingville Bypass (NJ 31) plans were eventually cancelled, the NJDOT did go so far as to buy the right-of-way (ROW) for the freeway, which remains an empty corridor of land today. The re-extension of the Somerset Freeway (I-95) through Piscataway in Middlesex County was the another major issue.  The map below shows its proposed route:

The areas that it was proposed to pass through had a great deal of residential development, and it was not long before the NJDOT decided that another freeway through Piscataway would be unnecesary.  However, it is interesting in that the junction between the Somerset Freeway (I-95) and the Middlesex Freeway (I-287) was planned to occur almost on top of existing Exit 4, with perhaps the elimination of the exit or extensive modifications planned.

Maps Map 1:  I-95 Corridor Shifts, 1954 - 1982 Map 2:  Adopted Route, 1964 Map 3:  Re-extended Route, 1968 Map 4:  Connectors Added, 1976 Map 5:  All Considered Alignments, 1979 Map 6:  Preferred Alternative Schematics and Exit List, 1979 Map 7:  Exit Number Changes, 1984 - 1996 Map 8:  I-95 Gap Corridor Today Map 9:  The Future I-95/I-276 Interchange

Photos The I-95 Gap Eastern Bypass The I-95 Eastern Route The I-95 Western Route The I-95 Gap Western Bypass Back to New Jersey Expressways and Tollways

Copyright © 2002 by Raymond C Martin Jr. All rights reserved