New Jersey Route 68 - History

History

As part of improving road access to the Fort Dix Military Reservation at the onset of World War II, a Works Progress Administration project improved the paved road connecting the fort to Bordentown. In 1941, this road was legislated as Route S39, a state highway spur of Route 39 (now U.S. Route 206) that was to run from the fort to Mansfield Square. Construction on the access road was completed in 1943 at a cost of over $2 million. Route S39 became Route 68 in the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering. The same year, an extension of Route 68 was legislated to run south from JB MDL Dix to the intersection with Route 70 and Route 72 at the Four Mile Circle. In 1960, a freeway was proposed along the Route 68 corridor, running from a planned Route 38 freeway near JB MDL Dix south to Route 70 and Route 72. This freeway was never built due to lack of anticipated traffic and funds as well as feared environmental impact.