Interstate 280 New Jersey

Interstate 280 New Jersey

Overview

Interstate 280 joins I-80 and the North Jersey suburbs in Morris County with the Oranges, Newark and the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) in Hudson County. The 17.04-mile long freeway heads southeast from Parsippany-Troy Hills Township across Hatfield Swamp into Essex County at West Essex Park. Continuing through the borough of Roseland, I-280 ascends across Second Watchung Mountain into West Orange Township.

Turning southward, I-280 descends abruptly from First Watchung Mountain into the City of Orange. The freeway lowers below street level and parallels the NJTransit Morristown Line along an urban corridor into East Orange and the city of Newark at Roseville. Passing north of University Heights, I-280 partitions through a wye interchange (Exit 13) with the unbuilt Newark Midtown Freeway (New Jersey Route 75).

Elevating across southern reaches of Branch Brook Park, Interstate 280 proceeds east by Downtown Newark. The freeway spans the Passaic River across one of the few lift bridges in the Interstate System. The William J. Stickel Memorial Bridge connects Newark with the borough of East Newark and the town of Harrison.

I-280 runs along side the Northeast Corridor Line and Path transit into the town of Kearny. The urban loop concludes at ramps to both the West and East Spurs of the New Jersey Turnpike amid wetland areas along the Hackensack River.

History

Predating the establishment of the Interstate Highway System, the William J. Stickel Memorial Bridge over the Passaic River opened in 1949. The span was added to the Interstate system in 1971. Interstate 280 was constructed otherwise between 1960 and 1980.1

Route Information

  • East End – Kearny, NJ

  • West End – Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ

  • Mileage – 17.85

  • Cities – Orange, East Orange, Newark

  • JunctionsI-80 Garden State Pkwy I-95 NJ Turnpike

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-280 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

William J. Stickel Memorial Bridge - East Newark, NJ

Westbound Interstate 280 at the William J. Stickel Memorial Bridge crossing the Passaic River at East Newark. 12/19/16

 Photo Guides

East End I-95 NJ Turnpike – Kearny, New Jersey

I-280 East at I-95 NJ Turnpike

I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - Kearny, NJ

Interstate 280 curves northeast from the adjacent Passaic River to the New Jersey Turnpike. A three quarter cloverleaf interchange (Exit 17) connects the freeway with CR 508 east to Jersey City and west into Kearny. 05/31/22

I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - Kearny, NJ

Exit 17 B loops onto County Route 508 (Harrison Avenue) west ahead of the New Jersey Turnpike toll plaza. 05/31/22

I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - Kearny, NJ

Exiting the toll plaza, ramps partition for the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur to Union City, Hoboken and the Lincoln Tunnel and the Western Spur for the Meadowlands, Hackensack and the George Washington Bridge 05/31/22

I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - Kearny, NJ

The succeeding trumpet interchange connects I-280 east with I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike) south to New Brunswick, Trenton and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Western Spur north to I-80 and U.S. 46 at Ridgefield Park. 06/13/05

I-95 NJ Turnpike North at I-280

I-95/NJ Tpk north at I-280 - Newark, NJ
I-95/NJ Tpk north at I-280 - Newark, NJ

The New Jersey Turnpike split into the Western Spur (I-95W) and the Eastern Spur (I-95) north of the exchange with U.S. 1/9 Truck in Newark. The Western Spur connects with Interstate 280 at a trumpet interchange (Exit 15W). 12/19/16

I-95/NJ Tpk north at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

The NJ Turnpike Western Spur (I-95W) advances across the Passaic River to Interstate 280 west at Kearny. 12/19/16

I-95/NJ Tpk north at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

Exit 15W departs from the Western Spur northbound for I-280 west to Harrison, Newark and the Oranges. 12/19/16

I-95 NJ Turnpike Eastern Spur – South at I-280

I-95/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Secaucus, NJ

The Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) heads southwest from Secaucus to Interstate 280 at Kearny. 12/17/17

I-95/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Secaucus, NJ

Crossing the Hackensack River, Interstate 95 makes an S-curve across on the 1.5 miles leading south to I-280 to Newark. 12/17/17

I-95/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

The New Jersey Turnpike Spurs converge beyond the wye interchange (Exit 15W) with Interstate 280. 12/17/17

I-95/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

Beyond the Kearny Toll Plaza, Interstate 280 (Essex Freeway) arcs westward through Harrison to the city of Newark at the Passaic River. 12/17/17

I-95 NJ Turnpike Western Spur – South at I-280

I-95W/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

The Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95W) runs along a causeway by Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area leading south to I-280 at Exit 15W. 08/29/05

I-95W/NJ Tpk south at I-280 - Kearny, NJ

Interstate 95 continues south from Exit 15W and I-280 at Kearny to Newark, Elizabeth and Linden. Interstate 280 crosses the Passaic River to areas north of Downtown Newark in 3.1 miles. 08/29/05

I-280 East End Throwback

I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - 2005
I-280 east at I-95/NJ Tpk - 2005

Button copy signs at the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 17) for CR 508 (Harrison Avenue) were replaced by 2012. 06/13/05

West End I-80 – Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey

I-280 West at I-80 I-287

I-280 west at I-80/287 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

Edwards and New Roads stem north from Interstate 280 at Exit 1 to U.S. 46 near Pine Brook in Montville Township. The remainder of I-280 defaults onto Interstate 80 westbound in 1.75 miles. 12/19/16

I-280 west at I-80/287 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

Ramps from U.S. 46 west and I-280 west form a distributor roadway along Interstate 80 extending 2.3 miles to the exchange with I-287 at Parsippany. 12/19/16

I-280 west at I-80/287 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

An end sign for I-280 stands at the wye interchange with Interstate 80 west between Troy Hills and Lake Hiawatha. I-80 and parallel U.S. 46 travel west from Parsippany-Troy Hills to Dover, Netcong and Columbia. 12/19/16

I-80 East at I-280

I-80 east at I-280 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

Ramps from I-287 north and Smith Road form a distributor roadway along eastbound I-80 through Parsippany-Troy Hills Township. A slip ramp (Exit 45) follows for Beverwyck Road to Lake Hiawatha. Interstate 280 branches south in 0.75 miles. 05/31/22

I-80 east at I-280 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

Exit 47 A departs from both the I-80 mainline and the c/d roadway east of Beverwyck Road for Interstate 280 to the Oranges and Newark. 05/31/22

I-80 east at I-280 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

Left Exit 47 A departs from the I-80 eastbound roadway to Interstate 280. 05/31/22

I-80 east at I-280 - Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp, NJ

The c/d roadway continues beyond Exit 47 A for I-280 to U.S. 46 east to Pine Brook. Interstate 280 reaches West Orange Township in six miles and the city of Newark in 13 miles. 06/13/05

Sources:

  1. Interstate 280 (New Jersey). NYCRoads.com (Steve Anderson).

Page updated June 9, 2022.