Nature Trail Improvements Paused In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A project to improve a nature trail in the marsh is being paused to address neighbors' concerns, Mayor Jay Gillian said.

Designs for the improvement of Crook Horn Creek Nature Trail were supposed to be completed this spring, with work beginning in fall. But work has been delayed in order to address concerns, Gillian said in his weekly update this past Friday.

"After speaking with a significant number of residents in the Ocean City Homes neighborhood and the Fourth Ward, Councilman Dave Winslow asked the city to consider a pause on further work on the Crook Horn Creek Nature Trail project to see if concerns about parking, noise and nighttime safety can be adequately addressed for this project to move forward," Gillian wrote. "I also have received many calls and emails about the issue, and we received a lot of similar feedback after a public information session about the proposed project in December."

The trail runs along an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The plans would make the existing path ADA accessible and would also serve as a resilience berm and reduce storm impacts from waves in the back bay. Read more: Nature Trail Improvements Planned For Ocean City

"Out of respect for the neighbors, I will direct the city team to fill holes to make the existing path safe for pedestrians, instead of proceeding at this time with the plan to elevate and redesign the entire railbed as part of a flood-mitigation effort," Gillian said.

The future plans for the trail are unclear.

"I want to thank everybody who provided feedback and assure them that Council and the administration will always solicit and carefully consider public input before proceeding with any project that impacts our neighborhoods," Gillia said.