Route 21 is a state highway in northern New Jersey, running 14.35 mi (23.09 km) from the Newark Airport Interchange with U.S. Route 1/9 (US 1-9) and US 22 in Newark, Essex County to an interchange with US 46 in Clifton, Passaic County. The route is a four- to six-lane divided highway known as McCarter Highway on its southern portion in Newark that serves as a connector between the Newark and Paterson areas, following the west bank of the Passaic River for much of its length. It also serves as the main north–south highway through the central part of Newark, connecting attractions in Downtown Newark with Newark Airport. The portion of Route 21 through Newark is a surface arterial that runs alongside the elevated Northeast Corridor rail line through the southern part of the city and continues north through Downtown Newark while the portion north of Downtown Newark is a freeway. Route 21 intersects many major roads including Interstate 78 (I-78), Route 27, and I-280 in Newark, Route 7 in Belleville, and Route 3 in Clifton.
Route 21 at the Gateway Center in Downtown Newark
Route 21 southbound in North Newark, along the Passaic River. This section features the southbound lanes passing directly over the northbound lanes. The downtown Newark skyline is visible in the distance on the left.
Route 21 northbound approaching the interchange with Passaic's Market Street exit in Wallington. This section was built over the riverbed of the Passaic River, which was moved to the east to make way for highway construction, but the municipal boundary was never adjusted.
Bridge stamp for Route 21 along former alignment, which was known as Route 21A.
U.S. Route 1/9 is the 31.01-mile (49.91 km) long concurrency of US 1 and US 9 from their junction in Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, north to New York City. The route is a multilane road with some freeway portions that runs through urbanized areas of North Jersey adjacent to New York City. Throughout most of its length in New Jersey, the road runs near the New Jersey Turnpike/Interstate 95 (I-95). In Fort Lee, US 1/9 merges onto I-95 and crosses the Hudson River on the George Washington Bridge, where the two U.S. Routes split a short distance into New York. US 1/9 intersects several major roads, including I-278 in Linden, Route 81 in Elizabeth, I-78 and US 22 in Newark, Route 139 in Jersey City, Route 3 and Route 495 in North Bergen, and US 46 in Palisades Park. US 1/9 also serves as the primary access point to Newark Airport. Between Newark and Jersey City, US 1/9 runs along the Pulaski Skyway. Trucks are banned from this section of road and must use US 1/9 Truck. The concurrency between US 1 and US 9 is commonly referred to as "1 and 9". Some signage for the concurrency, as well as the truck route, combines the two roads into one shield, separated by a hyphen (1-9) or an ampersand (1&9).
View north along US 1/9 at Route 35 in Woodbridge Township
View north along US 1/9 (Spring Street) at Route 81 in Elizabeth
US 1/9 northbound at the beginning of US 1/9 Truck in Newark, with sign noting "No Trucks" on the approach to the Pulaski Skyway
US 1/9 northbound in North Bergen
