Route 88 is a state highway in the northern part of Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. It runs from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 (US 9)/County Route 547 (CR 547) in Lakewood Township at its western terminus to an intersection with New Jersey Route 35 in Point Pleasant at its eastern terminus. For its entire length, it is a two-lane undivided road that passes through mostly residential and commercial areas. The route intersects CR 549 in Lakewood, New Jersey Route 70 in Brick Township at the former Laurelton Circle, and CR 549 Spur/CR 630 in Point Pleasant. The road is mentioned in the lyrics of the 1973 song "Spirit in the Night" by Bruce Springsteen.
The route was built as a gravel county road in 1903 and became part of pre-1927 Route 4, a route that was to run from Absecon to Rahway, in 1916. US 9 was designated along this stretch of road in 1926 when the U.S. Highway System was created. A year later, in 1927, this portion of pre-1927 Route 4 became a part of Route 35, a route from Lakewood to South Amboy. By the 1940s, US 9 was moved off this road to follow its current alignment between Lakewood and South Amboy. In 1953, Route 35 was realigned to follow a portion of Route 37 between Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights, and Route 88 was designated along the former alignment of Route 35 between Lakewood and Point Pleasant. The Laurelton Circle at Route 70, built in 1937, was replaced with the current intersection by the 1990s.
Route description
thumb|left|Route 88 westbound at Route 70 in Brick Township
Route 88 begins at an intersection with US 9 and CR 547 in Lakewood Township, and heads eastward on Main Street, a two-lane undivided road. A short distance later, the route passes under the Garden State Parkway without an interchange before crossing the Metedeconk River into Brick Township. This road was incorporated into the Camp Dix Way, an auto trail running from Camden to Seaside Heights. In 1916, this road was designated as a part of pre-1927 Route 4, a state road that was to run from Absecon north to Rahway. With the creation of the U.S. Highway System in 1926, US 9 was also designated along this route, running concurrent with Route 4. In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering a year later, Route 35 replaced this portion of pre-1927 Route 4 as part of its route from Lakewood to South Amboy. By the 1940s, US 9 was moved off this portion of Route 35 to follow its current alignment along Route 4 between Lakewood and South Amboy. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 35 was realigned to follow what was a part of Route 37 between Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights, and Route 88 was designated along the former alignment of Route 35 between Lakewood and Point Pleasant. A traffic circle called the Laurelton Circle, built in 1937, once existed at the intersection with Route 70, was replaced with its current configuration by the 1990s. The current lift bridge that crosses the Point Pleasant Canal, the Veterans Memorial Bridge, opened in 1986 replacing an obsolete bascule lift bridge that was completed in 1928.
Route 88 was referred to in the 1973 song "Spirit in the Night" by Bruce Springsteen on his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J..
thumb|right|View eastbound along Route 88 from the Garden State Parkway in Lakewood