, formerly

New Jersey State Highway 3 is a principal artery between Clifton, where it begins at US 46, and North Bergen, where it intersects both NJ 495, the Lincoln Tunnel approach, and US 1, a major north-south highway running from Maine to Florida.

The section through Rutherford was built in 1948 as NJ S3, the S standing for "spur". The original NJ 3 was contemplated to connect Paterson with the Lincoln Tunnel, but the stretch between Paterson and East Rutherford was never built. A part of the road that was built in Paterson is now NJ 20, while a section in East Rutherford is now NJ 120. The plan for the Paterson to East Rutherford highway was abandoned in 1953, and NJ S3, the spur between East Rutherford and Clifton, became part of NJ 3.

When the highway was built through Rutherford, it claimed numerous houses on streets along its path. Several of them were salvaged and moved to other locations in the borough, but many were destroyed.

The following pictorial is from west to east.

Passaic River (bridge)

Riverside Ave (overpass)

Park Ave (underpass)

NJ 3, looking west from Ridge Road.

Ridge Rd (underpass)

Orient Way (underpass)

NJ 3, looking east from Orient Way.

NJ 17 (underpass)

Dunn Hwy / Ward Highway (overpass)

Erie Railroad (bridge)