Route 47 is a state highway in the southern part of New Jersey. It runs from Atlantic Avenue in Wildwood, Cape May County, north to U.S. Route 130 (US 130) in Brooklawn, Camden County. It is also referred to as Delsea Drive, as it connects the Delaware River near Brooklawn to the Atlantic Ocean (the sea) in Wildwood. This name was assigned by the New Jersey Legislature in 1933. The route runs through rural areas of Cape May and southern Cumberland counties as a two-lane road. Traffic jams along this portion of Route 47 are commonplace in the summer vacation season and can stretch for miles due to the missing southern section of Route 55, where all Jersey Shore-bound traffic enters the small two-lane road. North of here, the route runs through the cities of Millville and Vineland before entering Gloucester County, where it passes through more rural areas as well as Clayton and Glassboro. Past Glassboro, it heads through suburban areas in Washington and Deptford townships before running through Westville and Brooklawn. Route 47 is the longest signed state route in New Jersey.

What is now Route 47 was originally designated as part of pre-1927 Route 15 between Rio Grande in 1917 and as a branch of pre-1927 Route 20 between Millville and Westville in 1923. In 1927, Route 47 was designated to run from Tuckahoe to Brooklawn, following current Route 49 south of Millville. Meanwhile, current Route 47 was a part of Route 49 between South Dennis and Millville and Route S49 between Rio Grande and South Dennis. The latter was extended to Wildwood in 1938. Route 47 and Route 49 were shifted onto their current alignments south of Millville in 1953. Since then, Route 47 has seen a few improvements and modifications including realignment in Millville and the reconstruction of the intersection with Route 83 in Dennis Township.

Route description Cape May County

Route 47 begins at a traffic light with Atlantic Avenue in the Jersey Shore city of Wildwood, Cape May County, heading to the northwest on Rio Grande Avenue, a four-lane divided highway that is municipally-maintained. From this intersection, Rio Grande Avenue continues southeast a block to an intersection with Ocean Avenue near the Wildwood Boardwalk. The road passes through residential and commercial areas before crossing the intersection with Ocean Drive/New Jersey Avenue (CR 621), where it becomes a four-lane undivided county-maintained road that is designated as County Route 661 (CR 661). Upon crossing the intersection with Park Boulevard, the route gains a center left-turn lane and passes businesses, intersecting Susquehanna Avenue. Here, Route 47 becomes signed and maintained by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), turning into a divided highway again a short distance later at the intersection with West Rio Grande Boulevard (CR 624). At this intersection, the route enters Lower Township, becoming Wildwood Boulevard and crosses over the Grassy Sound via the George Redding Bridge, which is a drawbridge. The road turns more to the west-northwest and runs through wetlands with some homes to the south of the road, with the Wildwoods Welcome Center next to the southbound lanes; the welcome center is accessible via a direct southbound ramp and via a left turn northbound. Route 47 enters Middle Township and continues past more marshland as well as some marinas next to the Richardson Sound on the south side of the road. The route turns northwest again and comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the Garden State Parkway. Past this interchange, Route 47 heads into a commercial district in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township. At the intersection with 5th Street, the route becomes a three-lane undivided road with a center left-turn lane and continues to an intersection with Shore Road (US 9).

Past the US 9 intersection, Route 47 becomes Delsea Drive and continues past more businesses, crossing the Cape May Seashore Lines railroad before intersecting Railroad Avenue (CR 626). Here, the route becomes a two-lane road and heads into more residential areas with some commercial establishments. At the intersection with Fulling Mill Road (CR 654), Route 47 turns north and leaves the Rio Grande area, heading into woods with some farm fields. It passes homes again and intersects Bayshore Road (CR 603) in Green Creek. From here, the road continues past homes with some areas of forests and farms. Route 47 comes to an intersection with Indian Trail Road (CR 618) which, along with Route 147, provides an alternate route to The Wildwoods. Past this intersection, the road passes more rural dwellings and enters the community of Dias Creek, where it intersects Dias Creek Road (CR 612). The route crosses over Bidwell Creek near wetlands and heads into forests. It reaches the residential community of Goshen, where there is an intersection with Goshen–Swainton Road (CR 615). Past Goshen, Route 47 turns northeast and heads through rural woods and farms with some homes and wetlands.

Upon crossing Sluice Creek, the route enters Dennis Township and heads into residential areas in the community of South Dennis. Here, the road intersects Court House–Dennisville Road (CR 657) and turns to the north. Route 47 briefly widens into a two-lane divided highway as it intersects Route 83. Past this intersection, the road heads through marshland and crosses over the Dennis Creek. It continues into Dennisville, where the route intersects Petersburg Road (CR 610) before turning west near Johnson Pond and intersecting Tyler Road (CR 611). Route 47 passes more homes before coming to the intersection with Washington Avenue (CR 557). Past the intersection with Washington Avenue (CR 557), the road runs through woodland before coming to the intersection with Route 347. Here, Route 47 turns to the west and passes a mix of residences, woods, and fields. It turns northwest and crosses over the East Creek before coming to an intersection with Paper Mill Road (CR 550 Spur). Past this intersection, the road intersects Old State Highway, a connector road to CR 550 Spur, before turning west into wooded areas.

Cumberland County

Upon crossing over the West Creek, Route 47 enters Maurice River, Cumberland County, and continues west through more forests. It enters a mix of residences and woodland as it makes a turn to the north past the intersection with Hands Mill Road (CR 651). The route runs through more woods, with a clearing for Bayside State Prison to the east of the road. The road comes to an intersection with Leesburg–Belleplain Road (CR 550) and Station Road (CR 710) to the east of Leesburg and continues north. Route 47 reaches an intersection with Mauricetown Road (CR 670) in a commercial area prior to Route 347 merging back into the route. Here, Route 47 splits into a brief one-way pair; the northbound direction heads east on CR 670 and north on Route 347, and the southbound direction remains on Delsea Drive. From here, Route 47 continues north on Delsea Drive through forested areas with some homes before crossing over the Muskee Creek. It continues into the community of Port Elizabeth, where it meets the intersection with Broadway (CR 548). Just past this intersection, the route crosses the Manumuskin River and continues north through woodland with some development. The route intersects Route 55, where that route continues north along the road and Route 47 turns off at a jughandle. South of the intersection with Route 55, Route 47 is part of a major road linking the Philadelphia metropolitan area with the Jersey Shore resorts of Cape May County. During the summer months, it sees regular traffic jams from traffic coming off Route 55. A proposal to extend Route 55 south to Cape May County, on hold for decades due to environmental concerns, would relieve traffic along Route 47.

From here, Route 47 continues through a mix of trees and residences, intersecting Schooner Landing Road, which provides access to the northbound direction of Route 55. Just past this intersection, the route crosses the Manantico Creek into Millville, where it becomes South 2nd Street, and continues past more woodland containing residences. As the route continues north, residential development increases along with commercial and industrial establishments. Route 47 reaches the commercial downtown of Millville, where it crosses the intersection with East Main Street (Route 49/CR 555) and becomes North 2nd Street. CR 555 parallels Route 47 a block to the east as the road crosses the Winchester and Western Railroad line and intersects East Broad Street (CR 552 Spur). Past this intersection, CR 555 heads farther to the east, and Route 47 crosses the Winchester and Western Railroad line a second time, passing a mix of residences, businesses, and industrial buildings. The road becomes three lanes with a center-left turn lane as it heads through commercial areas in the northern part of Millville. Upon intersecting High Street, the route widens to five lanes before entering Vineland, where the name becomes Delsea Drive again and comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with Route 55.

Past this interchange, Route 47 passes the Cumberland Mall on the east side of the road as a six-lane divided highway. Past the mall, the route becomes a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane again and passes more commercial establishments in the southern part of Vineland, before heading into wooded residential areas with some farmland. It crosses the intersection with West Sherman Avenue (CR 552) and becomes a two-lane road, running through business areas with some homes. As Route 47 continues north through the city, it comes to an intersection with West Chestnut Avenue, where it gains a center left-turn lane. From here, it passes more commercial buildings before crossing the intersection with West Landis Avenue, which heads to the west as Route 56. Past this intersection, the road crosses a Winchester and Western Railroad line before intersecting West Park Avenue (CR 540). Route 47 continues north through a mix of dwellings and businesses in the northern part of Vineland, narrowing back into a two-lane road at the intersection with West Oak Road (CR 681). The road heads through predominantly residential areas as it comes to an intersection with West Garden Road (CR 674). Past this intersection, the route passes near Kroelinger Airport and continues through mostly rural inhabited areas with some businesses. It crosses the intersection with West Weymouth Road (CR 690) before passing through wooded sectors with some homes and farms.

Gloucester and Camden counties

Route 47 crosses into Franklin Township, Gloucester County, where it passes more farms, woods, and homes before coming to an intersection with Harding Highway (US 40) in the community of Malaga. Here, US 40 and Route 47 form a concurrency and head northeast through populated areas as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, crossing over the Conrail Shared Assets Operations' Vineland Secondary railroad line. Immediately after this crossing, US 40 splits from Route 47 by heading southeast on Harding Highway while Route 47 turns northwest to continue along Delsea Drive, a two-lane road. Route 47 leaves Malaga and passes through a mix of dwellings and businesses with some areas of farms and woods, running a short distance to the east of the railroad line. The road heads into more forested areas before it comes to an intersection with Williamstown Road (CR 612) in the residential and business community of Iona. Route 47 continues past homes and commercial establishments as it comes to a crossroads with Coles Mill Road/Swedesboro Road (CR 538), where it turns to the north. The route passes more development with some farmland before it enters Clayton.