The original number of NJ 83. It makes sense if you remember that NJ 47 was originally NJ 49 south of Millville (the routes used to exchange numbers there to keep 49 south of 47). Since NJ 83 and NJ 47 split in Dennis, it makes sense that NJSHR 49 could have followed 83 to US 9. South of Dennis, NJ 47 was NJSHR S-49 until 1953, when NJDOT stopped numbering Spur and Alternate routes. (Yes, I know this page is starting off exactly like NJ 82. Guess what I used for a template.) At that point, 47 and 49 crossed each other instead of bumping, and 83 got a relatively random number - it probably would have been cleaner to give it the 43 vacated by US 30, keeping all the routes from 40-50 in the southern part of the state. By the way, I photographed the eastbound side of this old railroad bridge, which is at the western end of the highway. On an unrelated note, NJ 83 is undergoing reconstruction at NJ 47 to eliminate an unnecessary tangle of roadways and medians, but for now it seems like this bridge will stay. The westbound side of this bridge is much closer to the guiderail, which gets in the way of photography, whereas on this side there's a sidewalk provision.


Onto the pre-1940 NJSHR 49, which had a grade crossing of the railroad and is now County Road - that doesn't mean it was county maintained, though, just that it was likely a state takeover of an originally county-maintained highway.


Looking north along the tracks to the 1940 bridge.


Now onto the other side, with NJ 47 in the background.


Turned around, and looking at old railing posts (and even railing) dating from when the road was closed across the tracks nearly 70 years ago.


Driving eastward on County Road until I intersect current NJ 83. A bunch of people live on the old road (the municipality of South Dennis, which joins Dennisville and North Dennis as part of Dennis Twp.), but fewer live on the new one.


Dennisville Rd. WB, across 83 from the end of County Road.

Onto NJ 47
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