New Jersey Route 36 - Route Description

Route Description

Route 36 begins at the intersection with County Route 51 (Hope Road) and Exit 105 of the Garden State Parkway in Eatontown, heading east along a four-lane divided highway. Soon after beginning, it features ramps that provide access to Route 18 in the westbound direction and from Route 18 in the eastbound direction. The route widens to six lanes and crosses County Route 547 (Wyckoff Road). After that intersection, Route 36 passes by the Monmouth Mall and intersects Route 35 at the former Eatontown Circle, which has been reconstructed to an at-grade intersection with ramps. Route 36 continues east through commercial development and crosses into West Long Branch, where it comes to an intersection with Route 71. The route heads northeast, becoming Monmouth Park Highway, and crosses County Route 537 (Eatontown Boulevard/Broadway). Route 36 meets County Route 11 (Oceanport Avenue) and comes to the entrance to the Monmouth Park Racetrack.

Route 36 narrows to a two-lane undivided highway and crosses into Long Branch, where it becomes Joline Avenue. In Long Branch, the route crosses County Route 29 (Myrtle Avenue) and New Jersey Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line. Route 36 heads toward the Atlantic Ocean, where at the intersection with County Route 57 (Ocean Boulevard), the route turns north and runs along the Atlantic Ocean on Ocean Boulevard, a four-lane divided road. Route 36 intersects County Route 29 (Atlantic Avenue) and crosses into Monmouth Beach, where it narrows to a two-lane undivided road and takes on the name Ocean Avenue. It continues through Monmouth Beach and enters Sea Bright, where Route 36 heads north onto a narrow peninsula between the Shrewsbury River and the Atlantic Ocean, meeting the eastern terminus of County Route 520 (Rumson Road). The route continues north along the peninsula to a trumpet interchange that provides access to Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook.

Route 36 turns west and crosses the Shrewsbury River on the four-lane Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge, continuing into Highlands. It intersects County Route 8 at an interchange and continues west on Navesink Avenue, a four-lane, divided highway with a Jersey barrier and some intersections featuring jughandles that runs a short distance to the south of the Raritan Bay. The route then forms the border between Highlands and Middletown Township, with Highlands to the north and Middletown Township to the south. Route 36 intersects two separate sections of County Route 8, Linden Avenue and Ocean Boulevard soon after, before intersecting County Route 8B (Navesink Avenue) and fully entering Middletown Township. The name changes to Memorial Parkway and Route 36 crosses into Atlantic Highlands. In Atlantic Highlands, the route intersects County Route 8A (Valley Drive East) and another section of County Route 8 (First Avenue). It crosses back into Middletown Township and meets the eastern terminus of County Route 516 (Leonardville Road).

Route 36 passes under Normandy Road, which serves as a road and railroad link between the two sections of Naval Weapons Station Earle, with an entrance present to Normandy Road. The route drops the Memorial Parkway name and meets County Route 36 (Thompson Avenue). It then crosses County Route 7 (Palmer Avenue/Main Street) and forms the border between Hazlet Township to the south and Keansburg to the north. Route 36 eventually fully enters Hazlet Township and intersects County Route 7 (Munroe Avenue) again. The route then forms the border between Hazlet Township to the south and Union Beach to the north and passes over Natco Lake. It intersects County Route 39 (Union Avenue) and then County Route 6 (Stone Road), where Route 36 fully enters Hazlet Township again. The route crosses County Route 516 (Middle Avenue) and later enters Keyport. Route 36 intersects County Route 4 (Broad Street) and continues to its terminus at an interchange with Route 35 and the Garden State Parkway at Exit 117. The overall shape of Route 36 is that of a backwards C.