Water Works Rd is a dusty bumpy road with no trespassing signs on it that leads for perhaps a mile until you reach (surprise) some sort of water works and a pair of houses that are quite rundown and eerie looking. Beyond that you reach a railroad bridge that has deteriorated to the point of near collapse. There are many rumors and stories about this road and the Kill Yourself bridge, including being chased by weird characters, KKK, ghosts, etc. There are reports of Indian burial grounds, a pit bull that was standing near a deer it had killed, weird lights that flash in the woods, and so on. There are numerous letters which report that the houses simultaneously seems inhabited and abandoned, and there are never any people around, which is what I experienced.. I did see some homes and there were lights on, and cars in the driveway. It appears they are *not* abandoned. But who’d wanna live on this road? Yeesh
Upon leaving I passed some sort of trucking company (or something) and there was a weird scarecrow looking voodoo doll impaled on a fence pole by the entrance. Very creepy..
The Lostinjersey Blog 
Posted by WeirdSayreville71 on November 16, 2021 at 3:58 PM
I remember stories of a hanging tree
Posted by riley on October 17, 2019 at 7:19 PM
wow, you are on the wrong half of the road. try the southern jog before it routes you back to boardentown ave
don’t drive a low clearance car, truck / dirt bike recommended.
Posted by Mairead1916 on January 1, 2019 at 11:00 PM
The White house run down shown in the photo, belonged to my Uncle Jay Brennan a life long resident of Perth Amboy. My Family is from Ireland, and they arrived in Perth Amboy in the late 1800s. He worked for the Water Works …Him and his Wife lived in the house for years,, Sadly in the early 1970s he died from an insulin issue when he took a nap, I spent many a weekend at their house,,, When he died his Wife had to move,, and I’m supposing either the house wasn’t lived in again, or the next occupants did,’t keep it up..
Posted by Megan o on August 10, 2018 at 11:12 PM
I grew up on runyan road and they ARE NOT abandoneded houses so whoever did this quote on quote research is half fucking retarded. Very nice neighbors and none of which are abandoned and it’s Woodbridge not east Brunswick or south river. Get your facts straight before posting something you have no idea about. The bridge is closed off because of too many asshole kids. I’ve been there about 19 times. Creepy as hell for sure. But I’ve never seen anything scary. The vibe for sure is creepy but otherwise these are false stories. It’s parraelle to railroad tracks….. So wtf any of these people are talking about is false as fuck. I’m 28 again grew up on this road and yes it has it’s stories of being haunted but it’s definitely not. So hit me up. I’ve been there way too many times that I don’t believe what others say. I’ve gone during the day and night. nothing. So stop reaching
Posted by Richard Harris on August 13, 2018 at 4:14 PM
I have a story about that road you won’t like either. Around 50 years ago, me, a friend and my brother were hiking on that road behind Miller School in Old Bridge. We were abducted by aliens and dropped off 3 miles away in someone’s backyard. This was in the area of the old Pine Tree Apartments; on the Southbound lane of Rt. 18. We were missing several hours of time and don’t have any other memory of the incident.
Posted by nancy on March 2, 2018 at 1:54 AM
this is all bullshit to get the youngsters to drive out and get high! I’ve lived here almost 60 years and never heard a lick of this crap until a year ago when i caught sight of this totally asinine sight . You want to see something scary? Go rent the exorcist. There is absolutley no truths to the stories you are reading. Wake up and save yourself some gas money! also really where is brain!Do you really believe this shit that is being shoved down your throat from a bunch of idiots! good luck for the scare cause it ain’t there.
Posted by David Vance on January 12, 2018 at 10:58 PM
59 years old and lived in Old Bridge my whole life.Been on Runyon Road walking and driving too many times to count both at night and during the day.Had a relative you lived in one of the houses and i visited them often.Never before have I heard of these stories of ghost’s and suicide at Kill Your Self Bridge or anything of a Indian Burial site.If you want to know the real truth reads Kevin’s comment on 12/14/15.
Posted by Rick Harris on September 22, 2017 at 3:53 PM
In 1966, my brother and a friend came with me on a Saturday morning walk on Runyon Road, behind Miller School. A few hours later we were dropped off in someone’s backyard, thru the woods off of Rt. 18 near Pine Tree Apts. We had no idea how we ended up there. We were scared and confused. It was miles from where we were walking. Years later, I thought about alien abduction. There isn’t any memory of the missing time or being dropped off. Is that weird enough for you?
Posted by Runyon Master on December 29, 2017 at 12:10 AM
And we have more tales from Runyon and Kill yourself bridge! To see an aerial view of Runyon go to Historicaerials.com and enter Old Bridge NJ in the search window.There you can see aerial photos taken of the entire area from 1937 to 2003. Look it up It’s just an area of woodland preserved since 1800 that supports the aquifer that provides water to Perth Amboy .Nothing scary here. It does have an interesting history,though. Three ways in;from behind Miller school,from Sandfield Rd and from Cheesequake Rd.But access is blocked by a locked gate. I’d advise not to go anywhere near the filtration plant since it’s security is funded by Homeland Security. Anywhere else is OK but just be cool and don’t do anything stupid
Posted by Runion Master on December 3, 2019 at 3:48 PM
When is the “Kill Yourself Bridge” thing going to go away? I was hiking there the other day. When I was getting in my car to leave some Gen Z types pulled up next to me. They got out and asked me if it was ok to park there. They were like”Is it safe to go there even in the day”? I said “Sure.The bodies were just picked up from last night,so I’m sure it’s safe for now” At that they jumped into their car and drove off. They were probably simultaneously sh##ing themselves. Idiots. It’s amazing the things some people will believe.Sasquatch,Jersey Devil and me had a good laugh.
Posted by Stacey Baker on August 16, 2017 at 6:49 AM
I grew up on waterworks rd ! My dad built our house in 73. We would all play at the Waterworks and the woods back there. But not much scared us kids. However our new house at least my bedroom was some kind of portal because I was visited by nervous ghosts at night. For some reason never scared. I am curious now to what the road was like back back back in the day. One of my visitors wore a black cloak with no face. Hmmmm
Posted by Ryan Abraham on December 31, 2016 at 11:02 PM
and also a while back this place was a full town pretty much, it had houses and everything. Now there is just one house in the area i visited
Posted by Ryan Abraham on December 31, 2016 at 11:00 PM
deadass a legit place iv’e been with my friends before we saw the old chemical plant. We also saw an abandoned library which contained a book about old bridge new jersey and inside the book, Runyon was included. Keep in mind this book was damaged and the library was abandoned, it was the only book there aswell. The bridge is actually called the Suicide Bridge. but it’s all good. Me and my friends also left a tarp hammer and a knife and when we went back to the place we put the supplies they were missing. My friends and I kept a log about it. After what we found out we aren’t thinking about going back. If any of you visit Runyon be very careful I can’t stress it enough.
Posted by Daniel SALAMA on July 20, 2017 at 9:35 PM
what did you find out?
Posted by Runion Master on November 18, 2016 at 11:18 PM
Kill your self bridge…kill yourself bridge…You people need to get a life. I’ve lived in OB all my life and NOBODY has ever killed them self there. its just a stupid concrete bridge tagged by some kids, with a sense of humor, free time and a can of spray paint. What if the kids tagged “you suck”. It would be the the “You Suck Bridge” and would be in Backwoods Sex New Jersey Magazine instead of Weird New Jersey. God, get a life.If you want something scary drive down RT18 at 100 MPH and put on a blindfold.
Posted by The Pine Barron on August 17, 2017 at 11:41 PM
Right on Runyon Master! I visited the bridge again while mountain biking today and its still a stupid little bridge over a meaningless creek.The road goes further on to the Perth Amboy water works. On one side you will see the water works buildings and across the street company supplied homes for the workers that date back 1914 .Back then it was a far trip from Perth Amboy to the waterworks, so workers stayed at the houses with their familys. Good roads,development and automation made living by the plant unnecessary. No scary bridge,no abandoned village and no ghosts.
Posted by Ken BROUDY on October 30, 2016 at 7:47 PM
As a young gangsta during the late 60’s early 70’s I spent lots of my useless teenage hours, days weeks, and months back in the waterworks hunting, dirt biking, camping, etc, etc. their is no monsters, except memories of camping out, with o’l friends, parting, hangovers, and the old Nikey Base. Now it’s just a memory or old water works road, the old bridge, old bridge pistol range, and lots of dirt bike trails. We used old water works road to get back and forth to Madison park, to the go go bar on 516, detouring bordentown ave. the good o’l days. Lots of wasted brain cells!!!! KB NPB, FL
Posted by John Chiara on May 3, 2015 at 8:43 PM
I’ve driven through there with my friends a few times in the late 60’s and for years couldn’t figure out what was going on there. Recently an old friend told me that some construction was started back in the day but went bankrupt….I’m not satisfied with that. Can somebody tell me what really was going on there? By the way, I was on 516 around 15 years ago and there is no access road anymore off of 516……what’s going on?
Posted by Kevin Moffat on December 14, 2015 at 10:42 AM
There is nothing mysterious or scary about the Runyon watershed area. I grew up in Old Bridge. I’ve hiked, rode my dirtbike,mountain biked in every part of Runyon over the past 45 years. It was the ultimate place to party and park with your girlfriend. Put urbanite wankers in the woods at night and they start making up ghost stories. The “Kill Yourself Bridge” was named that because some kids playing around with spray painted “kill yourself” on the bridge. They also painted “you suck”,”*** is a slut”,a picture of a penis and “**** is gay”. It could have easily been” you suck” bridge, but that isn’t scary.The bridge was built as a CCC project in 1937. It fords a creek about one foot deep and if you jumped off the bridge you’d only die from embaressment.
Posted by Kristin Meredith on August 27, 2013 at 11:09 AM
My dad who is now 66 remembers driving down to this area during 1963/1964… Him and his friends called it “Video Village”.. I have no clue why. But he said there were houses like the white one above that at night would have the lights on and they would walk into the house. The crazy part is in all of the 8-12 homes the lights were on, coffee poured sat at the table, but no people could be found. It was as if it was just deserted! Has anyone heard of this? Also to the original blogger: Where can I find more info and what are these letters you refer to?
Posted by Jason on July 13, 2012 at 10:07 PM
I don’t know about a boy ghost but the story I told from the early 90s was totally true, interesting, and pretty “scary” to experience. I don’t really believe in ghosts but confirmed that there were a few crazies who hung out on the road. Since I know it’s true I was sure I would have heard from someone with a similar experience on this road, but so far I have not. Unless the ghost was one of the troublemakers who liked to hang out along the road and try to scare people
Posted by Anthony on November 22, 2011 at 2:37 AM
Is it legal to go down this road? I enjoy just driving down all these creepy roads just for the little thrill I get but I don’t wanna break any laws on the account that I can’t get in any trouble lol. If you could help me out that would be great.
Posted by lostinjersey on November 22, 2011 at 7:28 AM
AFAIK the answer is yes.
Posted by Anthony on November 24, 2011 at 5:43 AM
Damn. I hate that these things are illegal. Ruins all the fun lol.
Posted by frank on September 25, 2011 at 7:48 PM
shiting me… somebody shoved a pole up that cute little dolls ass!!! lol
Posted by Jason on December 29, 2010 at 2:11 PM
In the early 90’s when I was a teenager me and a buddy got my dad to take us home on this road coming back from a night of bowling. We had been on it before and among ourselves referred to it as Death Road cause it was so dark and parts were unpaved. This was before we ever knew other people had stories about the road. We were cruising along in the dark and a pickup got within a few feet of my dad’s bumper. Definitely trying to intimidate us. Then after about a mile we came up to what appeared to be hot glowing coals arranged in a line across the road. We yelled at my Dad to just keep going, and the pickup stopped at that point without crossing the glowing coals in the road. I kind of recall getting a pump of adrelanine from the experience and thought no one would ever believe our story. I think my Dad may have called the cops when we got home. I have to ask him to see if he remembers. Then it must have been at least 15 years later before I saw Runyon Road in Weird NJ. I went on the road one time a few years ago with my girlfriend in the daytime and I saw the big pile of dirt in the road which wouldn’t let you go much past the back of Miller School from the Matawan Road end of the road. What was weird is that there were never any signs telling you not to go on the road, and it connected to other public roads. It’s not clear whether or not you are actually allowed on the road or not (at least back then it wasn’t).
Posted by acorn1234 on August 25, 2019 at 4:46 PM
This almost exact same thing happened to us when we went there in the early 90s.
Posted by Jason on March 4, 2020 at 11:58 PM
I would like to know more about your similar experience. Especially since I know everything I wrote is actually true!
Posted by chris on August 17, 2010 at 8:16 PM
How do you get to Runyon
Posted by Vinny on November 11, 2010 at 11:18 PM
Sorry about not knowing road names in advance as I dont know the area too well,
Take 516 (Old Bridge Matawan Rd.) to 527 (Old Matawan Road), which is the light right by The Breakfast Club. On 527 make the first right onto Kearney Ave. Kearney Ave is a dark wooded road that is kind of creepy in it self. Follow it all th way down and youll come to a spot where the road turns left, but the road technically continues straight, however there is a large locked gate gate/barricade blocking the contuation of the road. Kill Yourself Bridge is about 500 feet or so past this blockade. You cant get your car back there, but you can technically get out and walk to it.
If you make the left on Kearney and follow that road as far as you can and then make a right at the end of the road, this is immediate after a set of railroad tracks, just an fyi. Your going to make the first right on this road, however that road about 2 miles away. I believe the road is called Brown Rd. When you make the right, you’ll immediately go over the railroad tracks you passed earlier. Go a few feet up the road and youll see the enterance to the road on the right. There will be “no entry” signs, etc. You know, the usual.
The last time I was there, about 5 years ago there was a big mountain of dirt at the under the railroad bridge about halfway down the road (as pictured in the second pic above), which prevented you from getting your car to Kill Yourself Bridge. I have no idea if the dirt is still there however.
Hope this helps.
Posted by chris on November 17, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Thank you Vinny… That helped trmendously, I know exactly where your talking about.
Posted by Sean on May 24, 2009 at 12:23 PM
I need to get back there and find the boy ghost I’ve been hearing about. Why didn’t you go down on the kill yourself bridge though?
Posted by lostinjersey on June 12, 2009 at 12:13 PM
honeslt it never occured to me!
Posted by dave on April 5, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Those houses are owned by the water company that runs the water treatment facility. They are used as offices. Nothing scary about it.
Posted by lostinjersey on April 5, 2009 at 4:16 PM
thanks for the info. most of the “scary stuff” on roads like this are usually nothing really intersting or scary once you know the truth.