History: Construction of Route 36 Between Keyport and Atlantic Highlands Underway (1932)

The 8 Jul 1932 edition of The Matawan Journal provided an update on the construction of New Jersey State Route 36 between Keyport and Atlantic Highlands.

Good Progress Being Made on New Highway
Section of Shore Boulevard from Keyport to Keansburg is Eighty Per Cent Completed

Rapid progress is now being made by the State Highway Commission in the paving of nine and three-tenths miles of Route 36, between Keyport and Atlantic Highlands. Rain during the early part of the season, however, delayed activity, and the new thoroughfare, which is known as the Shore Boulevard, will not be in readiness for traffic for about two months.

The four and one-tenth miles section between Keyport and Keansburg is eighty per cent complete and the stretch of five and two-tenths miles is fifty per cent finished. The Keyport-Keansburg link is scheduled for opening September 1 and that from Keansburg to Atlantic Highlands October 1, according to H. D. Robbins, Control Division Construction Engineer for the Highway Department.

The contract has already been given for the new bridge on Route 36 over the Shrewsbury River, between Highlands and Seabright, but the alignment for the three miles of roadway yet to be built between Atlantic Highlands and Highlands has not been decided. More than a year will be required for the building of the bridge over the river,and it is expected that during the interval the remaining section of the roadway will also be constructed.

In its campaign for safety the Highway Commission has built a bridge at the junction of Route 36 with Route 35 at Keyport, to avoid the crossing of traffic at grade. Route 35 extends from South Amboy through Asbury Park and Belmar to Lakewood and is one of the moat heavily traveled arteries during the summer. Under the plan that has been devised by the Highway Board the north-bound lane on Route 35 will be shunted under the bridge, which will carry Route 36 at Keyport.