New Jersey Route 172 - History

History

Route 172 originated as alignment of New Jersey State Highway Route S-28, which was assigned in the 1927 state highway renumbering. In the 1953 renumbering, State Highway Route S-28 was reassigned as New Jersey Route 18. However, just a few years after the designation of NJ 18 in New Brunswick along George Street, construction of a bypass around New Brunswick began. The highway was constructed along Burnet Street, which became state-maintained by the State Highway Department. The route was completed to NJ 27, and NJ 18 was moved onto that alignment. The former alignment of NJ 18 remained state-maintained up to the intersection with Commercial Avenue, which was redesignated as NJ 172.

When the New Jersey Department of Transportation started construction on upgrading the bypass, the fly-over ramp and on-ramp to and from NJ 172 were torn down for construction of a new interchange along a new local/express format. The overpass was closed on October 12, 2007 to begin the construction. The bridge was built in the 1950s and was replaced in 2008. On January 2, 2009, the new exit ramp for NJ 18 to NJ 172 was reopened to traffic.