Essex-Hudson Greenway Takes Leap Forward: Here’s Where It Will Begin

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An abandoned railway line that winds through Essex and Hudson counties is now one step closer to becoming a new state park, officials announced Wednesday.

New Jersey turned heads two years ago when officials announced that it will be creating its first new state park in 15 years. Read More: NJ Will Turn Old Railway Into Huge 'Greenway' For Hiking, Biking

Dubbed the “Essex-Hudson Greenway,” the project will transform 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.

Gov. Phil Murphy said the greenway will be a “game-changer” for people living nearby. However, officials have warned that the project could take years to cross the finish line.

There was good news for residents of Essex and Hudson counties this week, though: the initial development and construction plans have been released. See them online here.

The first phase of the multimillion-dollar project will focus on a two-mile span in Newark and Kearny, and will impact an estimated 350,000 residents in the two municipalities.

Here’s what to expect, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP):

“The Newark-Kearny segment is composed of three project areas. The western section will span from Branch Brook Park to Broadway in Newark. The central section, in Kearny, will begin at Passaic Avenue and go through Forest Street. The eastern section, also in Kearny, will start at Forest Street and run east to the Meadowlands’ edge.”

Potential plans for the first phase include “scenic overlooks” and “community hubs” that will connect Newark and Kearny, and give visitors some stunning views of the Meadowlands and Manhattan skyline.

The next steps include preliminary design work, securing necessary state permits and continuing to gather public feedback. A groundbreaking is expected in early 2024, with the first segment anticipated to open in late 2025.

Until then, the abandoned railway tracks and surrounding property remain off limits to the public, the NJDEP adds.

Supporters say the greenway will give residents and visitors in one of the most densely populated areas of the state a place to ride a bicycle or take a leisurely walk outdoors. It would also give New Jersey commuters another way to hop aboard mass transit headed to New York City, helping to relieve traffic congestion in the area and reduce pollution.

Other proponents of the plan say it will also create "expansive" economic, public health and environmental benefits, such as addressing severe sewer overflow issues that have long plagued homeowners and communities along the proposed route.

The greenway will follow the right-of-way of the eastern portion of NJ Transit’s former Boonton Line. Passenger service was discontinued on this portion of the line in 2002. Following termination of NJ Transit’s commuter service, limited freight service continued until the last rail customer ceased operations in 2015.

Murphy announced the acquisition of the greenway in September 2022. Since then, the NJDEP – along with its interagency partners at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, NJ TRANSIT, and New Jersey Department of Transportation – have been working to bring this once-in-a-generation project to life.

The initial development and construction of the greenway will be funded through a combination of state and federal appropriations, the NJDEP said.

• See Related: Essex-Hudson Greenway Closer But Work May Take Years, Officials Say
• See Related: Cheers In Essex County For Huge Hiking, Biking 'Greenway'
• See Related: Poetry Amid Decay: NJ Photographer Explores Abandoned Railway

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