Bridgewater
BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Bridgewater Township is situated in Somerset County, New Jersey. The 32 square mile community in central Somerset County borders 11 other municipalities. It is home to 3600 acres of public and private parks and recreation opportunities. Bridgewater boasts Blue Ribbon schools, job opportunities in top-tier pharmaceutical, financial and biotech firms, and is home to the championship winning Somerset Patriots, the Bridgewater Commons Mall, as well as numerous other shopping and entertainment opportunities.
Population: 44,000 (2005 estimate)
Bridgewater’s bordering neighbors are Bound Brook, Manville, Raritan, Pluckemin, Warren, Branchburg, and Green Brook. Major airports serving the area include Newark Liberty, JFK, and Philadelphia International.
One of the reasons why Bridgewater Township has been attractive for homebuyers is because of the excellent schools. Schools in the area serve Raritan, Martinsville, Finderne, and parts of Bound Brook communities.
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is the largest district in Somerset County, with 9,162 students attending seven K-4 schools, two 5-6 schools, one middle school (7-8) and one high school (9-12). The district has been recognized for achievement through state and national awards.
In 1998, the high school was named a “Star School” by the New Jersey Department of Education for our extensive and creative use of technology; and, in 1999, named a Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School by the Federal Department of Education. Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School is one of the few high schools to hold both the Star School and Blue Ribbon School Award acknowledgements.
For more information regarding the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, log on to http://www.brrsd.k12.nj.us
Other schools in the area include Immaculata High School and Immaculate Conception School in Somerville, St. Ann’s School in Raritan, The Pingry School in Martinsville, and Somerset County Vocational & Technical Institute, in Bridgewater.
Additionally, Raritan Valley Community College, situated in North Branch, serves residents of both Somerset and Hunterdon counties. It offers 80 associate degrees and certificates. For more information, long on to http://www.raritanval.edu/
Major employers in Bridgewater include, MetLife, Johnson and Johnson, Sanofi-Aventis, Qualcommn, Pfizer, HSBC, and National Starch & Chemical. Major area employers include Merck, Chubb, Norvatis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Avaya, Verizon Wireless and AT&T Communications.
Bridgewater contains a number of communities and sections, many of which do not have officially defined boundaries. They include:
Bradley Gardens: Located in southwestern Bridgewater, bordered on the east by Raritan and Branchburg to the west. This is one of Bridgewater's older residential areas but also includes some newer developments as well as a commercial area along Old York Road.
Eastern North Branch: Most of North Branch is in Branchburg, but a portion lies to the east of the North Branch of the Raritan River, in Bridgewater Township.
Finderne: Located in southeastern Bridgewater between Bound Brook and Somerville. This is a diverse area with older neighborhoods bordering Foothill Road, newer developments, multi-unit housing near the Raritan River/Manville border, as well as commercial and industrial areas. The Middlebrook Crossing industrial park, the Promenade shopping center and Commerce Bank Ballpark, home to the Somerset Patriots, are located here.
Thomae Park: In the extreme eastern portion of Bridgewater, bordering Bound Brook and Middlesex. Residents there have a Bound Brook ZIP code. One of their main attractions is Thomae Park, which has a playground, basketball court, baseball field, and hiking trail.
Green Knoll: Located in central Bridgewater, this is a residential area with many major commercial developments and government facilities, including the Bridgewater Commons Mall at the intersection of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 202-206, a large office park just west of the Commons across 202-206, the municipal building and police station, and Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Country Club/Meadow Road Area: This area is referred to by some as the "Country Club-Meadow Road area" or similar names, after the major north-south streets there. Some also refer to "the Van Holten area" after the elementary school located there. It borders Bedminster and Branchburg. It is Bridgewater's most "rural" section, although it is comprised almost exclusively of residential communities.
Milltown/Vanderveer Road Area: This area is known to some as the "Milltown-Vanderveer" area. The area is northeast of Bradley Gardens bordering Raritan and Branchburg. It is mainly a residential community with many new homes built in recent years.
Martinsville: Located in northeastern Bridgewater near Warren Township and Bernards Township. This is a predominantly residential area, though it does have its own commercial center along Washington Valley Road, and its own post office and ZIP code. This also is a very hilly area as it is the portion of Bridgewater through which the Watchung Mountains pass.
Sunset Lake: Built around a manmade lake in the extreme northern part of Bridgewater, near the interchange of Interstate 287 and Interstate 78. Some of the residents there have the Basking Ridge ZIP code 07920.
Hospitals in the area include Somerset Medical Center, located in Somerville, St. Peters University Hospital, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, both located in New Brunswick.
Bridgewater offers a variety of shopping, including the Bridgewater Commons Mall, which boasts Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor and Macy’s, plus over 170 stores including: Pottery Barn, Apple Store, American Eagle Outfitters, Vera Bradley, BCBGMAXAZRIA, J. Crew, Brighton Collectibles, Forever 21, Guess, Brookstone, Puma, Bebe, Delia's, Sephora, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand Jeans, Papyrus, Talbots and many more outstanding retailers as well as a food court and movie theatre.
Additionally, Bridgewater is home to more everyday shopping destinations, including Target, Costco, Marshall’s, Toys “R” Us, Best Buy, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Wegmans, among others.
A number of Restaurants are available to suit your dining needs, including Friday's, Houlihans, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebees, Fudruckers, Bridgewater Diner, Maggiano's, McCormick and Schmick's, Panera Bread, and many more.
Bridgewater also is a hotspot for natural beauty, with 20 parks. Part of the Somerset County Park Commission, Bridgewater offers recreational/leisure facilities for all sporting and leisure activities, including Chimney Rock Park, Duke Island Park, and many more.
For more information about Bridgewater Township, log on to
http://www.bridgewaternj.gov/facts.htm
Raritan Borough, situated within Bridgewater Township, occupies an area of 2 square miles, with 6, 427 residents (2006 estimate). It was originally part of Bridgewater Township, but was incorporated as an independent Borough in 1948. Students from Raritan attend the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.
For more information about Raritan Borough, log on to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raritan,_New_Jersey
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