Dyl's Roads & Travels: CR 527

The second-longest 500-series county route in the state. Also passing through the most counties at six. This road goes through so many different communities and environments.

Ocean County:

Turns out, Ocean County doesn't like shields on this LGS!

A route cannot junction itself. This is where a concurrency ends.

Middlesex County:

CR 516 begins along CR 527, at the NJ 18 interchange. This isn't the first time a 500-series CR begins along CR 527 at an interchange with a third road. You will see this again in Union County.

And why is NJ 18 signed as TO NORTH 527, when CR 527 NB makes a left turn after the NJ 18 overpass to follow Old Bridge Turnpike until CR 527 actually overlaps NJ 18? I guess to keep through traffic off CR 527.

CR 527 departs CR 516.

At the end of Old Bridge Turnpike, CR 527 becomes unsigned and overlaps NJ 18, NJ 172, and NJ 27 before signage reappears for CR 527 on Easton Avenue in New Brunswick.

CR 527 departs from NJ 27 at this junction.

CR 527 north of NJ 27 in New Brunswick.

Somerset County:

CR 527 along Easton Avenue between New Brunswick and South Bound Brook.

Interesting use of that LGS. Trying to create a partial overhead instead of a standard advisory / destination sign?

I would normally associate these BGS's with ramps and highways, but CR 527 is directly interwoven as part of the interchange.

CR 527 passes by a large Ukrainian church in South Bound Brook.

CR 527 in South Bound Brook.

CR 527 crosses the Queen's Bridge between Bound Brook and South Bound Brook.

CR 527 (concurrent with CR 533) in downtown Bound Brook.

CR 527 departing from CR 533. What is with Somerset County doing white banners?

CR 527 has a junction with US 22. Why is US 22 signed as NJ 22 at this gore sign?

A faded CR 527 sign.

CR 527 intersects CR 651. North of CR 527, CR 651 is the first former CR 527 Spur.

CR 527 intersects the northern terminus of CR 529. and this is unsigned.

Union County:

CR 527 through the hills of Union County.

CR 527 passes through the southeastern section of upscale Summit.

CR 527 has a large junction with CR 512, NJ 24, and NJ 124. The southbound direction of CR 527 has an overlap with the beginning of CR 512 westbound. CR 527 then briefly overlaps NJ 124 to cross the Essex / Union County line.

Essex County:

CR 527 passes through the Upper Millburn Avenue district in Millburn, Essex County.

CR 527 in downtown Millburn.

A curiosity, CR 527W. This is because of the one-way pairing in Millburn.

Because of turn restrictions on Main Street and the one-way pairing of Millburn Avenue and Essex Street, the de jure routing of CR 527 and CR 577, CR 527 has de facto overlaps (both directional and wrong-way) with both directions of CR 577 in addition with the de jure overlap on Main Street. CR 527 NB has the more fun de facto routing, we'll get to see here.

I'll explain the de facto routing of CR 527 through downtown Millburn:

CR 527 NB - Millburn Avenue EB/NB (picks up CR 577 NB, de jure and de facto), Essex Street WB (picks up CR 577 SB), Old Short Hills Road NB.

CR 527 SB - Old Short Hills Rd SB, Essex Street WB, Millburn Avenue WB/SB

I told you CR 527 NB has a little more fun in Millburn with its overlaps.

Let me use a diagram to explain:

CR 577 NB is in blue, and CR 577 SB is in red.
CR 527 NB is in orange, and CR 527 SB is in green.

Main Street in purple is part of the de jure CR 527 and CR 577 routings, but turn restrictions prevent Main Street from being a de facto portion of the routings. Main Street is also blocked off during the summer.

Here is what you can use Main Street for:

Main Street NB -

Connection from CR 577 NB to CR 527 NB. You can only go straight at both traffic lights.

Main Street SB -

Connection from CR 527 SB to CR 577 SB by going straight at both traffic lights.

Connection from CR 527 SB to CR 577 NB and CR 527 NB by making a left at the blue/orange overlap on the map.

CR 527 in Livingston, where it intersects NJ 10 in the town center.

CR 527 in Essex Fells. What is with the lack of directional signage along the CR 611 overlap?

Okay. Now we have directional signs again.

CR 527 overlaps CR 506 in Caldwell. This overlap is poorly signed, with CR 527 signed as if it vanishes and resumes at each intersection with CR 506, rather than CR 527 being signed as a continuous route. That's not a TO 527, that's CR 506 EB and CR 527 NB on an overlap.

CR 527 departs from CR 506 to travel through North Caldwell.

Elm Road is not Bloomfield Avenue, but Elm Road provides a connection between CR 527 SB to CR 506 EB because there is no left turn at the CR 506 stop sign.