Essex–Hudson Greenway

The Essex–Hudson Greenway is planned state park and greenway in the northerneastern New Jersey counties of Essex and Hudson. It will follow an abandoned railroad right of way (ROW) across the New Jersey Meadowlands, over the Hackensack and Passaic rivers, as well pass through densely-populated neighborhoods. The nearly 9-mile (14 km) long shared-use linear park/rail trail will encompass about 135 acres (55 ha) and will average 100 feet (30 m) in width. Running between Jersey City and Montclair it will pass through Secaucus (where it will run concurrently with the Hackensack River Greenway), Arlington in northern Kearny, North Newark, Belleville, Bloomfield and Glen Ridge.[1][2]

Essex–Hudson Greenway
The right of way at (at left) crossing the Meadowlands
Lengthapprox. 8.63 mi (54.7 km)[a]
LocationEssex and Hudson, New Jersey
TrailheadsCroxton, Jersey City
40.743342°N 74.067163°W / 40.743342; -74.067163,
Bay Street, Montclair
40.811019°N 74.206749°W / 40.811019; -74.206749
Useshared-use

In 2021 NJ Transit authorized studies for alternative options between the Meadowlands Sports Complex and Secaucus Junction including a bus "transitway" along the ROW.[3][4][5] A partial version is planned to go into service for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[6]

Railroad right-of-way

In 1878, New York and Greenwood Lake Railway, was created from a consolidation of several smaller railroads, with service provided but the Erie Railroad[7] In 1887, the Erie created a new subsidiary, the Arlington Railroad, to create a new, more direct ROW in the Kearny Meadows between the Hackensack River and Passaic River.[8] In 1897, it opened the DB Draw over the Hackensack and the WR Draw over the Passaic providing the company a modernized ROW from its Pavonia Terminal through the Long Dock Tunnel and across the Meadows. The eastern portion in Hudson County was also used by the Newark Branch. The property was acquired directly in 1943 by the Erie. In 1960 the Erie merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to create the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad and services were consolidated at Hoboken Terminal via the Bergen Tunnels.

Conrail operated commuter rail on the line from 1976 to 1982 on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation to 1982, when New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJ TRansit) took over. When Conrail was split in 1999 Norfolk Southern Railway came into possession of the line. NJ Transit provided communter service on its Boonton Line until 2002, when eastern part (Montclair to Hoboken) closed after a new alignment, the Montclair Connection, was built and Montclair-Boonton Line services began. Service at three stations was discontinued. Service at other stations on the line had previously been stopped.

Abandonment of ROW and purchase by state

Although the ROW was not officially abandoned, proponents of early efforts to create a greenway called the plan the Ice & Iron Rail Trail because of its historical use as a freight line carrying iron and ice from western New Jersey to the Port of New York and New Jersey.[9][10][11][12]

In 2020, Norfolk Southern (NS) officially abandoned an 8.63-mile (13.89 km) section (milepost WD 2.9 to milepost WD 11.5) of the rail line[13] and the Open Space Institute (OSI) reached a preliminary sale agreement with NS for the property.[14][15][16] They commissioned Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects to develop a framework plan, produced in March 2023.[17]

In 2021 NJ Transit authorized a study to use a portion the rail ROW as bus "transitway".[18][4][19][20]

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which manages state parks and forests, acquired the property on August 19, 2022. The state purchased the ROW from NS for $65 million.[21][22][23][24][25] It is expected site preparation will begin in 2023, with initial opening about one year later.[23]

A project team of Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is working with the NJDEP to envision the project.[26]

Route
Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area NJ Turnpike Eastern Spur Lewondowski Bridge

At its eastern end the greenway will start in Croxton in Jersey City (40.743342°N 74.067163°W / 40.743342; -74.067163) just west of U.S. Route 1/9, nearby the Bergen Arches, a disused rail tunnel, with potential connection to the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. At the west in Montclair it will terminate near the Montclair-Boonton Line near Bay Street station (40.811019°N 74.206749°W / 40.811019; -74.206749). In Secaucus it will run concurrently with the planned route of the Hackensack River Greenway. In Essex County a portion would run concurrently with the September 11th National Memorial Trail.[27] The East Coast Greenway in would be partially re-routed to align with new greenway.

See also
  • Kearny Meadows
    Kearny Meadows
  • West Arlington station site
    West Arlington station site
  • WR Draw over Riverbank Park, Passaic River, and McCarter Highway
    WR Draw over Riverbank Park, Passaic River, and McCarter Highway
  • Broadway North Newark
    Broadway North Newark
  • Benson Street station site
    Benson Street station site
  • ROW at Rowe Street station site
    ROW at Rowe Street station site

References
  1. Mroz, Jacqueline (January 21, 2022). "Why NJ's Essex-Hudson Greenway Will be a Game-Changer for Commuters, City Residents". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  2. Tully, Tracey (September 16, 2022). "31 Bridges, 2 Cities, 6 Towns: Greenway Is New Jersey's High Line". New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  3. Higss, Larry (August 26, 2021). "Amid questions, NJ Transit takes first steps to new Transitway to American Dream, MetLife stadium". NJ Advance Media for nj.com. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  4. Wilson, Colleen; Katzban, Nicolas (August 25, 2021). "New Jersey Transit Board approves $3.5 million contract for new bus line to Meadowlands". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  5. "PROJECT SHEET SECAUCUS TO MEADOWLANDS (BOONTON) TRANSITWAY" (PDF). NJ Transit.
  6. Higgs, Larry (July 20, 2023). "NJ Transit racing to build Transitway in time for World Cup 2026". NJ.com. NJ Advance Media. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  7. "Essex- Hudson and Hackensack Greenway Plans Moving Forward". EarthShare New Jersey.
  8. "New Branch of the Erie" (PDF), The New York Times, March 23, 1887, retrieved June 6, 2012
  9. Kaulessar, Ricardo (April 7, 2018). "11-mile railroad connecting Montclair to Jersey City could become a walking, biking trail". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  10. Strunsky, Steve (September 22, 2021). "Cyclists will ride 60 miles to N.J.'s capital to urge $65M purchase of rail line for bike trail". NJ Advance Media for nj.com. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  11. Leir, Ron (July 12, 2021). "Essex-Hudson Rail Trail Imperiled by Governor Murphy's Tepid Support". Jersey City Times. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  12. Hurdle, Jon (November 15, 2021). "Former rail line to get new life as cross-county 'greenway'". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  13. 85 FR 41266
  14. Kofsky, Jared (July 1, 2020). "Land Sale Could Advance Proposal for Greenway Between Jersey City and Montclair". Jersey Digs. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  15. Winters, Jaimie Julia (April 1, 2021). "Essex-Hudson Greenway could be purchased by year's end". Montclair Local News. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  16. Israel, Daniel (November 12, 2021). "New Jersey to help acquire rail line for Essex-Hudson Greenway". Hudson Reporter. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  17. Brey, Jared (April 2022). "Jersey Line" (PDF). Landscape Architect Magazine. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  18. Higgs, Larry (August 26, 2021). "Amid questions, NJ Transit takes first steps to new Transitway to American Dream, MetLife stadium". nj.com. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  19. "PROJECT SHEET SECAUCUS TO MEADOWLANDS (BOONTON) TRANSITWAY" (PDF).
  20. Baldwin, Carly (August 26, 2021). "NJT Wants To Launch Bus Service From Secaucus To American Dream". Patch News. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  21. "New Jersey buys Norfolk Southern right-of-way for linear park". trains.com. November 16, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  22. "Murphy Announces Historic Acquisition of Former Rail Line and Intent to Create New 9-Mile Linear State Park & Transitway". Insider NJ. November 12, 2021.
  23. Koosau, Mark (September 17, 2022). "Gov. Murphy announces purchase of rail line for Essex-Hudson Greenway". Hudson Reporter.
  24. Gill, Brendan W. (January 10, 2022). "This green pathway through cities and suburbia will embody the best of New Jersey". Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  25. Roll, Erin (July 18, 2020). "Proposed greenway trail in Essex County takes another step forward". Montclair Local News.
  26. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/88112cad25064c969ea62c041d027dff
  27. Mroz, Jacqueline (January 21, 2022). "How NJ's Essex-Hudson Greenway Will Connect to Other East Coast Trails". New Jersey Monthly.
  28. Access to the Region's Core in Hudson County, New Jersey and New York County, New York: Final Environmental Impact Statement 4.10: Parklands (PDF) (Report). 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  29. Access to the Region's Core in Hudson County, New Jersey and New York County, New York: Environmental Impact Statement. 2008. p. 10.
  30. "Hackensack River Guide" (PDF). New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 21, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  31. "Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area". Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute.
  32. "Kearny Brackish Marsh". Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute.
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