The main purpose of building NJ 5 was to avoid some of the steep grades on previously existing roads like Edgewater Avenue and Fort Lee Road.
NJ 5 became superfluous when the George Washington Bridge was opened and NJ 6 (now US 46) was built. However, once New Jersey builds a road, it generally maintains it forever, so NJ 5, which is still used as a connector between Fort Lee and Edgewater, remains under state control.
| Mile | Street Name | Feature (West to East) |
| 0.00 | NJ 5 BEGINS, Ridgefield Boro | |
| 0.00 | NJ 5 | Broad Ave, US 1/9 {signal} |
| 0.19 | NJ 5 | Maple Ave, CR S-31 |
| 0.22 | Entering Palisades Park Boro | |
| 0.48 | NJ 5 | Delia Ave {bridge} |
| 0.60 | NJ 5 | Conrail {overpass} |
| 0.90 | Entering Fort Lee Boro | |
 NJ 5 hooks under Bergen Boulevard. This is looking eastbound. | ||
| 0.92 | NJ 5 | Bergen Blvd, NJ 63 / CR 501 {underpass} |
| 0.98 | NJ 5 | Bergen Blvd connector {signal} |
| 1.30 | NJ 5 joins Glen Rd | |
| 1.46 | Glen Rd | Brinkerhoff Ave {signal} |
| 1.56 | Glen Rd | Central Blvd, CR 54 {signal} |
| 1.56 | NJ 5 turns right onto Central Blvd | |
| 1.56 | Next 0.02 mile co-signed with CR 54 | |
| 1.58 | Central Blvd | Anderson Ave, CR 29 {signal} |
 This unorthodox CR 54 marker (which doesn’t even identify the county) is on NJ 5 westbound just east of Anderson Avenue, outside the brief concurrency with CR 54. Perhaps there should be a straight-ahead arrow accompanying it? | ||
| 1.71 | Central Blvd | (Palisade Ave, NJ 67) |
| 1.71 | NJ 5 bears right onto Palisade Ave | |
| 1.93 | Palisade Ave | Bridle Way {signal} |
| 2.17 | NJ 5 turns left | |
| 2.17 | NJ 5 | [Palisade Ave, CR 27] {signal} |
| 2.37 | Entering Edgewater Boro | |
| 3.18 | NJ 5 | River Rd, CR 505 {signal} |
| 3.18 | NJ 5 ENDS, Edgewater Boro | |