 Since at least 1936 , Route 17 ( then Route 2 ) was planned for upgrading to a freeway , not only north of U.S. Route 46 , but also south to the Newark area . The first plan for a freeway along the length of the route was halted due to World War II , and the second plan for a freeway in the 1960s was cancelled due to the disruption it was projected to cause to businesses and residents along its path . In 1972 , there were plans to extend Route 17 past Route 3 to Interstate 280 in Harrison . The plans for this five @-@ mile ( eight kilometer ) , $ 50 million extension were cancelled due to the defeat of a transportation bond that would have funded the proposed freeway . The interchange at Route 3 was built to allow for this southern extension . Another extension of Route 17 to the New Jersey Turnpike was brought up in 1987 , but was ultimately scrapped . 
