State: | NJ |
Type: | CR |
Route: | 542 |
Map Custom: | yes |
Map Notes: | CR 542 highlighted in red |
Length Mi: | 20.57 |
Length Ref: | [1] |
Length Round: | 2 |
Tourist: | Pine Barrens Byway |
Direction A: | West |
Direction B: | East |
Terminus A: | in Hammonton |
Junction: | in Hammonton in Washington Township |
Terminus B: | in Bass River Township |
Counties: | Atlantic, Burlington |
Previous Type: | CR |
Previous Route: | 541 |
Next Type: | CR |
Next Route: | 543 |
County Route 542 (CR 542) is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends 20.57miles from Route 54 in Hammonton to U.S. Route 9 (US 9) in Bass River Township.
CR 542 begins at an intersection with Route 54 in Hammonton, Atlantic County, heading east on two-lane undivided Central Avenue. The road passes through wooded residential areas, intersecting CR 724 and CR 680. Near Atlanticare - Kessler Memorial Hospital, the route intersects US 30, at which point CR 542 turns south for a brief concurrency on four-lane undivided White Horse Pike. Near Hammonton Lake, CR 542 splits from US 30 by heading east on two-lane undivided Hammonton-Pleasant Mills Road, soon intersecting CR 679. The road continues through a mix of homes and farms, turning northeast and entering Mullica Township, where CR 542 curves east again and passes through woods as it reaches a junction with CR 693. From this point, the route continues back into agricultural areas with some homes, meeting CR 658. CR 542 turns northeast and enters the Wharton State Forest, a part of the Pine Barrens. After passing to the north of Nescochague Lake, the road reaches the CR 623 junction.[1]
Upon crossing the Mullica River, CR 542 crosses into Washington Township in Burlington County and becomes Hammonton Road. The road passes to the south of Batsto Village and makes a turn southeast into dense forests, running a short distance to the north of the Mullica River. After a turn to the east, the route comes to an intersection with CR 651 before coming to a brief concurrency with CR 563. Past this point, the road continues through rural areas for several miles, with a junction at CR 652. CR 542 enters marshland as it crosses the Wading River on a drawbridge into Bass River Township. A short distance later, the road meets CR 653 and turns southeast, running a short distance east of the Wading River through areas of forests and marshland. CR 542 turns east and comes to its eastern terminus at US 9 in the community of New Gretna.[1]