New Jersey Route 159 - History

History

The alignment that Route 159 currently takes was originally an alignment of U.S. Route 46. In 1941, construction finished of a new bypass of the communities of The Caldwells and Fairfield, where Route 159's northern terminus occurs. U.S. Route 46 at the time also had the internal designation of New Jersey State Highway Route 6, which gave the bypassed segment of 6/46 the designation of New Jersey State Highway Route 6-M. Route 6-M remained intact for twelve years, when the 1953 renumbering of state highways occurred. Route 6-M and its parent, Route 6, were decommissioned. Route 6 remained U.S. Route 46, and Route 6-M was redesignated as New Jersey Route 159.

The bridge taking westbound Route 159 (Bloomfield Avenue at that point) over U.S. Route 46 eastbound and into U.S. Route 46 westbound (at the western terminus of Route 159) was undergoing replacement, and was re-opened for traffic on December 24, 2009. Construction period is August 2009 to February 2010. Construction will continue until the end of the construction period, though the bridge is open for traffic.