Finances Still Being Hammered Out For $65M Essex-Hudson Greenway

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The long-awaited Essex-Hudson Greenway is slowly but surely becoming a reality, advocates say.

In November, state officials announced that New Jersey will be purchasing nearly 135 acres of property in North Jersey for $65 million. The plan? Turn an old, defunct nine-mile railroad line into a 100-foot-wide biking and hiking path.

The ambitious project will cross above the Passaic and Hackensack rivers and pass through eight towns: Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus and Jersey City.

• Read More: NJ Will Turn Old Railway Into Huge 'Greenway' For Hiking, Biking

There isn’t an expected completion date yet. But on Monday, advocates gave an update on the status of the project:

“The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Norfolk Southern Railway Corporation, and the Open Space Institute announced that the purchase agreement for nearly nine miles of former rail line in Northern New Jersey for the creation of a new Greenway, which was set to expire on Jan. 31 has been extended to June 30, 2022. The $65 million sale of 135 linear acres, traversing the densely populated region requires a level of complex title research, legal, and survey work meriting an extension. The three organizations are continuing to work in a collaborative manner to complete the necessary transaction that will set the stage for the next phase of this exciting project, which is expected to include community outreach, design, and planning. When completed, this historic project will enrich communities in Essex and Hudson counties, the state and the region—serving as a hub for ecotourism and unlocking the potential for even greater transit and environmental infrastructure improvements.”

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