New Jersey Route 17 - Route Description

Route Description

Route 17 begins at an intersection with Route 7 and County Route 507 (Belleville Turnpike) on the border of Kearny, Hudson County and North Arlington, Bergen County. It heads north through North Arlington on Ridge Road, a two-lane local street with speed limits of 25 to 35 mph (40 to 56 km/h) that passes by businesses and the Holy Cross Cemetery on the east side of the road. It intersects County Route 26 (Jauncey Avenue) and crosses into Lyndhurst at the Lincoln Avenue intersection. In Lyndhurst, Route 17 intersects County Route 28 (Kingsland Avenue). At the intersection of County Route 30 (Rutherford Avenue), which runs along the border of Lyndhurst and Rutherford, the route turns east onto 40 mph (64 km/h) Rutherford Avenue to parallel the Route 3 freeway to the south and head for the edge of the New Jersey Meadowlands, widening to a four-lane road at the intersection with Orient Way. Route 17 makes a curve to the south, crossing entirely into Lyndhurst, and makes a hairpin turn to the north, widening to a divided highway. The road then crosses into Rutherford and comes to the Route 3 interchange.

Past the Route 3 interchange, Route 17 continues north as a six-lane divided highway with a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limit and intersections featuring jughandles. It passes through residential and commercial areas of Rutherford, intersecting County Route 32 (Meadow Road) before crossing into East Rutherford, where it intersects County Route S32 (Union Avenue) before interchanging with State Route 120 and County Route 120 (Paterson Plank Road). The route runs through Carlstadt, where it crosses into Wood-Ridge. Route 17 comes to an interchange with County Route 36 (Moonachie Road) before entering Hasbrouck Heights. With the exception of a short stretch in Rutherford with a median strip, this section of Route 17 is divided by a Jersey barrier.

In Hasbrouck Heights, the lanes split with the Bendix Diner located between the traffic lanes at the intersection of County Route 40 (Williams Avenue), the last traffic light on Route 17 before the New York state line. At the interchange with U.S. Route 46, which only features access to the eastbound direction of U.S. Route 46, Route 17 drops to two lanes in each direction and continues north with the lanes merging back together as the road interchanges with County Route 55 (Terrace Avenue) at an interchange. The road enters Hackensack with the lanes splitting again for the long interchange with Interstate 80. Along this strip, the road is again three lanes in each direction and includes an interchange with County Route 57 (Summit Avenue), crossing into Lodi. The lanes rejoin upon splitting from Interstate 80 with a lane dropping in each direction at the County Route 56 (Essex Street) interchange on the Maywood border. Route 17 continues north as a congested road through commercial areas, crossing into Rochelle Park where the route interchanges with County Route 62 (Passaic Street) at mile marker 11.46 before entering Paramus.

At the County Route 61 (Farview Avenue) interchange, the road regains a third lane in each direction. Route 17 passes by Westfield Garden State Plaza on the west side of the road before coming to an interchange with Route 4. Route 17 is flanked by businesses and shopping malls for most of its length in Paramus, passing through what is known as one of the largest concentrations of retail shopping districts in the state, interchanging with Century Road. Route 17 comes to a partial interchange with the Garden State Parkway (exit 163), with access limited to northbound-to-northbound and southbound-to-southbound movements between the two roads. North of the Garden State Parkway, Route 17 features interchanges for Midland Avenue, the Paramus Park shopping mall and an industrial park, and County Route 80 (Ridgewood Avenue) just north of the Fashion Center shopping mall.

Route 17 crosses into Ridgewood and interchanges with County Route 110 (Linwood Avenue), where the penetration of businesses along the side of the road lessens dramatically. North of this point, the speed limit is 55 mph (89 km/h). In Ridgewood, the road interchanges with County Route 62 (Paramus Road), crosses the Saddle River, and intersects a separate segment of County Route 62 (Franklin Turnpike) and West Saddle River Road. This intersection, along with other at-grade intersections along this portion of Route 17, is a right-in/right-out (RIRO) intersection with cross traffic blocked by a Jersey barrier. There is another RIRO intersection for County Route 112 (Race Track Road) on the Ho-Ho-Kus border. Upon crossing into Ho-Ho-Kus, the businesses stop along Route 17 and it comes to an interchange with County Route 502 (Hollywood Avenue). The route enters Waldwick and interchanges with County Route 77 (Sheridan Avenue). It enters Saddle River, continuing north to an interchange with County Route 90 (Allendale Avenue).

Route 17 enters Allendale, with businesses resuming along the road. It enters Upper Saddle River before running through Ramsey, where the road crosses back into Upper Saddle River. The route comes to an interchange with County Route 81 (Lake Street/Crescent Avenue), where it crosses back into Ramsey. In Ramsey, Route 17 turns to the northwest and features a RIRO for County Route 83 (Airmount Avenue), an interchange with County Route 507 (Franklin Turnpike), and an interchange for Island Avenue/Spring Street. The route passes New Jersey Transit’s Ramsey Route 17 train station and enters Mahwah. In Mahwah, Route 17 interchanges with County Route 85 (Island Road) and County Route 100 (Ramapo Avenue). North of Ramapo Avenue, Route 17 features an interchange with U.S. Route 202 and crosses the Ramapo River. Route 17 interchanges with Stag Hill Road just before merging with six-lane Interstate 287, which it follows to the New York border, where the road continues into Hillburn, Rockland County as Interstate 287 and New York State Route 17, intersecting Interstate 87 (the New York State Thruway) shortly after the state line.