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Elizabeth River (New Jersey) facts for kids

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Elizabeth River
Elizabeth Riv W Grand jeh.jpg
Country United States
State New Jersey
Region Essex
Union
Physical characteristics
Main source Watchung Mountains
surfaces Irvington/Newark
40°44′12″N 74°13′43″W / 40.736566°N 74.228531°W / 40.736566; -74.228531
River mouth Arthur Kill
Elizabeth
0 ft (0 m)
40°38′39″N 74°11′24″W / 40.6441°N 74.1900°W / 40.6441; -74.1900 (Elizabeth River mouth)
Length 11.9 mi (19.2 km)

The Elizabeth River runs through Essex and Union counties, New Jersey in the United States for 11.9 miles (19.2 km) before draining into the Arthur Kill.

Course

The headwaters of the Elizabeth are in East Orange in Essex County. The river rises in an urban area at the border between Irvington and the Vailsburg neighborhood of Newark. It flows in a generally southern direction through the center of Irvington in a concrete channel with masonry walls built in the 1920s and 30s passing along the east side of Civic Square. Further south, it forms the west boundary of the 19th century Clinton Cemetery. At the southern end of the cemetery, the river passes under the Garden State Parkway near Exit 143 and disappears as a surface waterway.

The Elizabeth River reemerges just south of the Union County line near Garden State Parkway Interchange 142 between Union and Hillside. After passing under I-78 it runs through the Elizabeth River Parkway. Here, the river is joined on its left bank by its first significant tributary, Lightning Brook. The Elizabeth River then flows under the Garden State Parkway again. After passing under US 22, the river turns eastward and is joined by the West Branch Elizabeth River. The river then flows past historic Liberty Hall and Kean University. Much of the river is contained by levees in this section.

At Trotters Lane, the river enters Elizabeth, where the river runs for 4.0 miles (6.4 km), passes under numerous bridges, and for a greater extent is channelized. At the bridge on the South Front Street it flows into the Arthur Kill.

Elizabeth River Parkway

Broad St entrance arch of Elizabeth River Trail jeh
Broad Street entrance to Elizabeth River Trail

The Elizabeth River Parkway is a set of parklands that hugs the river from Hillside through Elizabeth It was designed in for the Union County Parks Commssion in the 1920s by the historic firm Olmsted Brothers, and is one of the three "emerald necklaces" in the county park system, the others being Rahway River Parkway and Passaic River Parkway. The firm also designed Warinanco Park

Elizabeth River Trail

The Elizabeth River Trail is a project to construct a park and riverside trail from South Broad Street in Downtown Elizabeth to the river's outlet into the Arthur Kill, a distance of 2-1/2 miles. Phase I, between Broad and Bridge streets near St. John's Parsonage, opened in 2012. Phase II was completed and opened in August 2018.

Crossings

This list is for the crossings in Union County
S Front Street Br weight jeh
South Front Street Bridge
2014-12-19 16 18 46 View of the lower Elizabeth River, New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) Exit 13 and Union Freeway (Interstate 278) in Elizabeth, New Jersey from a plane heading for Newark Airport
Elzabeth River downstream of the New Jersey Turnpike
Mile Point Crossing Carries Coordinates References
0.0 South Front Street Bridge 40°38′40″N 74°11′27″W / 40.64437°N 74.19083°W / 40.64437; -74.19083 (South Front Street Bridge)
0.4 South First Street/Amboy Avenue 40°38′32″N 74°11′54″W / 40.64222°N 74.19834°W / 40.64222; -74.19834 (South First Street Bridge)
0.7 Elizabeth River Bridge
Conrail (CRCX)
Perth Amboy and Elizabethport Railroad
Garden State Secondary
40°38′43″N 74°12′10″W / 40.64514°N 74.20268°W / 40.64514; -74.20268 (Elizabeth River Bridge (CRCX))
0.9 New Jersey Turnpike Interstate 95 I-95.svg New Jersey Turnpike Shield.svg 40°38′44″N 74°12′13″W / 40.64555°N 74.20359°W / 40.64555; -74.20359 (I-95 bridges) Baltic Street eliminated in 1959
Trenton Avenue/Atlantic Street 40°38′51″N 74°12′18″W / 40.64756°N 74.20509°W / 40.64756; -74.20509 (Trenton Avenue Bridge)
1.7 South Fifth Street/Summer Street 40°39′00″N 74°12′35″W / 40.65005°N 74.20968°W / 40.65005; -74.20968 (South Fifth Street Bridge)
Elizabeth River Viaduct U.S. Route 1/9 US 1-9.svg 40°39′30″N 74°12′34″W / 40.65836°N 74.20937°W / 40.65836; -74.20937 (Elizabeth River Viaduct (U.S. Route 1/9))
South Street 40°39′29″N 74°12′38″W / 40.65812°N 74.21045°W / 40.65812; -74.21045 (South Street Bridge)
2.1 Bridge Street 40°39′40″N 74°12′42″W / 40.66103°N 74.21157°W / 40.66103; -74.21157 (Bridge Street Bridge)
South Broad Street 40°39′40″N 74°12′55″W / 40.66098°N 74.21519°W / 40.66098; -74.21519 (South Broad Street Bridge)
Rahway Avenue 40°39′42″N 74°13′03″W / 40.6616°N 74.2175°W / 40.6616; -74.2175 (Rahway Avenue Bridge)
Elizabeth River Bridge Northeast Corridor
Amtrak (Northeast Regional)
New Jersey Transit
Northeast Corridor Line
North Jersey Coast Line
40°39′43″N 74°13′05″W / 40.66203°N 74.21797°W / 40.66203; -74.21797 (Elizabeth River Bridge (Northeast Corridor))
Murray Street 40°39′48″N 74°13′08″W / 40.66325°N 74.21879°W / 40.66325; -74.21879 (Murray Street Bridge)
West Jersey Street 40°39′53″N 74°13′08″W / 40.66464°N 74.21885°W / 40.66464; -74.21885 (West Jersey Street Bridge)
West Grand 40°39′59″N 74°13′07″W / 40.66632°N 74.21852°W / 40.66632; -74.21852 (West Grand Street Bridge)
Central Railroad of New Jersey ROW 40°40′01″N 74°13′07″W / 40.66701°N 74.21868°W / 40.66701; -74.21868 (Jersey Central Bridge)
Westfield Avenue New Jersey Route 27 Elongated circle 27.svg 40°40′05″N 74°13′10″W / 40.66805°N 74.21943°W / 40.66805; -74.21943 (Westfield Avenue Bridge)
Morris Avenue CR 629 Union County Route 629 NJ.svg 40°40′12″N 74°13′09″W / 40.66997°N 74.21906°W / 40.66997; -74.21906 (Morris Avenue Bridge)
Orchard Street 40°40′16″N 74°13′10″W / 40.67115°N 74.21951°W / 40.67115; -74.21951 (Orchard Street Bridge)
3.7 Trotters Lane 40°40′30″N 74°13′20″W / 40.67502°N 74.22219°W / 40.67502; -74.22219 (Trotters Lane Bridge)
3.8 Ursino Dam 40°40′31″N 74°13′21″W / 40.67536°N 74.22246°W / 40.67536; -74.22246 (Ursino Dam)
North Avenue New Jersey Route 439 Elongated circle 439.svg 40°40′39″N 74°13′32″W / 40.67752°N 74.22552°W / 40.67752; -74.22552 (North Avenue Bridge)
Kean University Footbridge 40°40′51″N 74°13′37″W / 40.68091°N 74.22708°W / 40.68091; -74.22708 (Kean University Footbridge)
Conrail
New Jersey Transit
Lehigh Line
Raritan Valley Line
40°41′10″N 74°14′04″W / 40.68617°N 74.23439°W / 40.68617; -74.23439 (Lehigh Line/Raritan Valley Line Bridge)
Liberty Avenue/Salem Road New Jersey CR 509 County 509.svg 40°41′23″N 74°14′16″W / 40.68979°N 74.23772°W / 40.68979; -74.23772 (Liberty Avenue Bridge)
Salem Dam 40°41′24″N 74°14′16″W / 40.69010°N 74.23773°W / 40.69010; -74.23773 (Salem Dam)
U.S. Route 22 US 22.svg 40°41′52″N 74°14′48″W / 40.69785°N 74.24654°W / 40.69785; -74.24654 (U.S. Route 22 Bridge)
Garden State Parkway GSPkwy Shield.svg 40°42′04″N 74°14′57″W / 40.70108°N 74.24930°W / 40.70108; -74.24930 (Garden State Parkway Bridge)
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway Interstate 78 I-78 (NJ).svg 40°42′20″N 74°14′50″W / 40.70556°N 74.24719°W / 40.70556; -74.24719 (I-78 Bridge)
Union Avenue 40°42′26″N 74°14′49″W / 40.70726°N 74.24707°W / 40.70726; -74.24707 (Union Avenue Bridge)
Garden State Parkway Interchange 142 GSPkwy Shield.svg 40°42′34″N 74°14′46″W / 40.70949°N 74.24600°W / 40.70949; -74.24600 (Garden State Parkway Interchange 142 bridges)
Elizabeth River becomes sub-surface waterway

This list is for the crossings in Essex County from Union County line to source

Crossing Carries Coordinates References
Elizabeth River runs as sub-surface waterway under the Garden State Parkway
Mill Road
Chancellor Avenue CR601 Essex County Route 601.svg
Yale Avenue
Lyons Avenue CR602 Essex County Route 602.svg 40°43′44″N 74°14′02″W / 40.728822°N 74.233985°W / 40.728822; -74.233985
Nye Avenue
Springfield Avenue CR603 Essex County Route 603.svg
Bridge at Civic Square
Bridge at Civic Square
Clinton Avenue CR665 Essex County Route 605.svg 40°43′44″N 74°14′02″W / 40.728822°N 74.233985°W / 40.728822; -74.233985
Madison Avenue
Valley Street
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