The route, originally laid in the colonial era, connects the city of Paterson and the Hudson River waterfront.

It has largely been superseded by Route 3, but in the many towns it passes it has remained an important local thoroughfare, and in some cases been renamed.

These roads consisted of wooden boards laid adjacently to prevent coach and wagon wheels from getting bogged down in soft or swampy ground, thereby creating an even surface that would facilitate travel.

[2] Over time it was upgraded and at one point had streetcar lines on its entire length operated by the Public Service Railway as the 15 Passaic, 17 Hudson, and 35 Secaucus.

A crossing of the Passaic River at the location was first created in the colonial era, and was known as Acquackanonk Bridge burned during Washington's 1776 great retreat from Fort Lee.

Originally this section consisted of planks laid side-to-side to form a makeshift road to prevent carriage wheels from getting stuck in the swamp, but it has since been reclaimed.

The road travels mostly southward through the residential area until it crosses over NJ 3, and then turns southeast, forming the main street of Secaucus Plaza, the town's medium density central business district.

It crosses over U.S. Route 1/9 (Tonnelle Ave) in North Bergen and turns sharply southward to parallel it and is even heading south-southwest as it climbs the west side New Jersey Palisades to Transfer Station.

At the edge of the cliff turning south-southwest it is joined by the Wing Viaduct and descends the eastern side of the Palisades into Hoboken where it ends at Observer Highway.