New Jersey Route 38

New Jersey Route 38

Route 38 is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It extends 19.19 mi (30.88 km) from the Airport Circle, where it intersects U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 130, in Pennsauken Township, Camden County to an intersection with U.S. Route 206 and County Route 530 in Southampton Township, Burlington County. The route is a four- to six-lane divided highway for most of its length and passes through commercial development, residential development, and some farmland.

Route 38 was signed in 1927, replacing part of Pre-1927 Route 18, which had run from Camden to Toms River. Route 38 was originally planned to be a freeway crossing the state of New Jersey, running from Camden to Wall Township, Monmouth County. The eastern part of this freeway would become part of Interstate 195 in the late 1960s. The freeway routing was then modified to head north of Interstate 195 to the Route 18 freeway in Colts Neck Township but was ultimately canceled by the late 1970s due to environmental and financial concerns. Route 138 was originally numbered as a segment of this Route 38 freeway, but was renumbered by the 1990s when it became apparent the freeway would not be completed.