County Route 502 (CR 502) is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike (CR 504) in Wayne to Palisades Boulevard (U.S. Route 9W, US 9W) in Alpine.
CR 502 is a very important east–west route in the northern part of Bergen County. North–south travel in the county is available via Route 208 and Route 17, the Garden State Parkway, US 9W and the Palisades Interstate Parkway. In contrast, the only east–west route in the area is Route 4, from Paterson to Fort Lee. Thus, the north area of the county relies heavily on CR 502 for east–west travel. Farthest north, New York State Route 59 (NY 59) or the New York State Thruway can be used as east–west alternatives to CR 502.
CR 502 comprises Berdan Avenue, Breakneck Road, Long Hill Road, Franklin Lake Road, Ewing Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Wyckoff Avenue in Waldwick, a brief concurrency with CR 507 on Franklin Turnpike in Waldwick and Ho-Ho-Kus, Hollywood Avenue, East Saddle River Road, Wearimus Road, Washington Avenue, Broadway, Old Hook Road, High Street, and Closter Dock Road. In the extreme west of Bergen County, CR 502 is mostly a two-lane road with occasional expansions into a four-lane avenue. As it runs through Waldwick, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Washington Township, it is a two-lane road. When CR 502 runs through Westwood, Emerson, and Harrington Park, it is a four-lane highway with jughandles. East of Harrington Park, it is a two-lane road. In the Oradell Reservoir area, CR 502 serves as an important crossing of the reservoir, as it crosses the only bridge across the reservoir.
Route description
CR 502 begins at an intersection with CR 504 in Wayne, Passaic County, heading northwest on four-lane undivided Berdan Avenue through commercial areas. The route turns north as it passes between the Point View Reservoir to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east, intersecting CR 681. From here, the road heads into forested areas with some homes, crossing into Bergen County, at which point it forms the border between Oakland to the west and Franklin Lakes to the east as two-lane Breakneck Road. CR 502 fully enters Oakland, where it intersects CR 93 and turns southeast onto Long Hill Road. The route continues into Franklin Lakes and runs through residential areas as Franklin Lake Road, intersecting CR 117 before turning east near Franklin Lake and reaching a traffic circle at CR 89. Upon reaching the CR 97 (Ewing Avenue) intersection, CR 502 turns north onto Ewing Avenue, with CR 93 continuing east on Franklin Lake Road. The road passes more wooded areas of homes as it reaches an interchange with Route 208. A short distance later, the route intersects CR 84 and makes a turn east onto Franklin Avenue. The road crosses into Wyckoff and crosses CR 87 as it heads into the commercial downtown. The route crosses the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway's New Jersey Subdivision line and passes a mix of homes and businesses as it comes to an intersection with CR 87S and CR 84. CR 502 heads back into wooded residential neighborhoods and enters Waldwick, where it becomes Wyckoff Avenue and reaches a junction with CR 81. The route passes over New Jersey Transit's Main Line/Bergen County Line and widens to four lanes as it comes into businesses areas and reaches an intersection with CR 507. At this point, CR 502 turns south to form a concurrency with CR 507, heading southeast along two-lane Franklin Turnpike. The road heads into Ho-Ho-Kus and passes a mix of homes and businesses before CR 502 splits from CR 507 by heading east on Hollywood Avenue. At this intersection CR 502 Truck heads south along CR 507. CR 502 continues east through wooded residential areas and intersects CR 77 and CR 502 Truck again. A short distance later, the route comes to an interchange with Route 17.