One clue comes from gas-station road maps of the late 1930s, which indicate that Van Houten Avenue, the northern terminus of the state highway (but not of Clifton Avenue), was designated as temporary NJ S-3. That highway spur, which was re-designated NJ 3 in 1953, was not completed until 1957, when two vital overpasses were finished. Traffic may have been directed down Allwood Road and Clifton Avenue to Van Houten Avenue, and as a byproduct, Clifton Avenue was improved using state funds.
Another theory is that the road, which is located near the Garden State Parkway, may have been designated as part of the corridor for its predecessor, the NJ 4 Parkway which was never built between Paterson and Woodbridge (the GSP replaced it).
| Mile | Street Name | Feature | ||
Road continues northward as  Clifton Ave |
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| 1.10 | Northern terminus of , Clifton City, Passaic Co |
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| 1.10 | Clifton Ave |  Van Houten Ave |
 |
Van Houten Ave |
| 0.76 | Clifton Ave | |
St James Pl | |
| 0.34 | Clifton Ave | |
St Andrews Blvd | |
| 0.00 | Clifton Ave |  Allwood Rd |
|
Allwood Rd |
| 0.00 | Southern terminus of , Clifton City, Passaic Co |
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