What is now Route 54 was originally legislated on March 30, 1938, to run from US 30/US 206 in Hammonton south to Main Road in Landis Township (part of present-day Vineland).

[2][3] After fully entering Buena Vista Township and becoming 12th Street, the road reaches an intersection with CR 690 and makes a turn more to the northeast.

Following this intersection, Route 54 heads through a mix of woods and farm fields as it enters Hammonton and reaches a partial cloverleaf interchange with the Atlantic City Expressway.

[3] The road crosses NJ Transit’s Atlantic City Line at-grade immediately before a junction with CR 561.

[4] Route 54 was legislated on March 30, 1938, to run from US 30/Route 43 and US 206/Route 39 in Hammonton south along Lincoln Avenue to an intersection with Main Road in Landis Township, Cumberland County (now a part of Vineland).

[8][9][10] In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 54 was defined onto its current alignment between US 40 in Buena Vista and US 30/US 206 in Hammonton.