Dyl's Roads & Travels: CR 577

& former CR 509 Spur

This one's fairly straightforward, but has some interesting pieces to it. To start off, the southern portion of the route through Springfield was considered CR 509 Spur by NJDOT, but Union County considered it CR 577, until both NJDOT and Union County agreed that it was CR 577. I guess NJDOT thought it was less of an inconvenience to break the designation as opposed to a CR 577-NJ 124 concurrency, which is what we see today. CR 577 also has an interesting routing in Millburn because of turn restrictions on Main Street, we'll get to that.

Union County:

CR 577 south of NJ 124 (Former CR 509 Spur):

CR 577, former CR 509 Spur, begins at CR 509.

The only CR 509 Spur sign I've ever seen, at the southern terminus of CR 577 at CR 509. And it's facing the wrong way (this sign's arrow points to CR 509 NB, not CR 577 NB), and the order in the pentagon is wrong. It should be SPUR with the pentagon underneath, or 509S. But this sign is still incorrect, so it should be changed and updated to CR 577.

CR 577 NB, former CR 509 Spur NB, in Springfield approaching NJ 124. I think I understand why Union County insisted on signing the supposed CR 509 Spur as CR 577. See the junction section for more details. Here is where CR 509 Spur ended.

CR 577 / NJ 124 / NJ 82 / Former CR 509 Spur junction:

The CR 577 - NJ 124 - NJ 82 junction is effectively a traffic circle with a road cutting through it. Morris Avenue is the through route, which is NJ 124 west of the circle and NJ 82 east of the circle. CR 577 and NJ 124 overlap around the circle, but then split off north of the circle. Sounds complicated, maybe. But it makes sense when you get used to it.

But why did NJDOT think that for a time, it was easier to break the CR 577 designation into CR 509 Spur rather than overlap the roads in the circle? I guess I'll never know. All I do know is that one designation of CR 577 is much more coherent than CR 577 and CR 509 Spur being two different designations for the same road.

Essex County:

CR 577 north of NJ 124:

CR 577 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 577 has de facto overlaps (both directional and wrong-way) with both directions of CR 527 in addition with the de jure overlap on Main Street. CR 577 SB has the more fun de facto routing, we'll get to see here.

I'll explain the de facto routing of CR 577 through downtown Millburn:

CR 577 NB - Main Street NB, Millburn Avenue EB (de facto CR 527 NB until CR 527 NB leaves at Lackawanna Place NB), Wyoming Avenue NB

CR 577 SB - Wyoming Avenue SB, Millburn Avenue WB, Essex Street WB (picks up CR 527 SB, de jure and de facto), Douglas Street SB (CR 527 SB leaves), Millburn Avenue EB (CR 527 NB, de jure and de facto), Main Street SB

I told you CR 577 SB 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.

On the de jure route of CR 577/CR 527, the block of Main Street between Millburn Avenue and Essex Avenue in Millburn. This is blocked off during the summer.