Harrison Avenue/Newark Turnpike runs out of Newark east across the Bridge Street Bridge into Harrison, then passes through Kearny as it enters the Meadowlands (the Kearny Wal-Mart is there - definitely wasn’t there in 1976). It continues on across the Hackensack River to exit 15W on the NJ Turnpike (which is also the eastern end of Route 280, still in Kearny), to Tonnelle Circle in Jersey City, where it meets Routes 1 & 9.
South of that, Routes 1 & 9 runs southwest from Jersey City through south Kearny (the “port”, an industrial area) to Ironbound Newark. I believe the ONLY way to travel directly from Newark to Jersey City without passing through Kearny is on Route 78 even further south. Both Kearny and Harrison were settled before 1776, never mind 1976.
The Monzas were notoriously light in the front because the engine was in the rear. Going over that bridge I felt as though the car was going to take off and fly, lol. That was years before I left for California in 1976, 1968 to be exact. We lived in an apartment on Van Wagenen Ave, and then later on Academy Street a few blocks from Journal Square. I remember Journal Square as it was in the 1950's and 60's with its 3 big movie theaters, Lowe's, Stanley and a I think the third one was the State, but not sure about that last one.