South Brunswick Will Build Final Section Of Freedom Trail Bike Path

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Wednesday night, the South Brunswick Twp. Council awarded a contract to complete the final section of the Freedom Trail Bikeway, which will link the two separate bike paths together.

Construction is expected to take place this summer. South Brunswick Township said it was too early to say when the final section will be open to the public.

This is the bike trail that crosses through South Brunswick, and is currently in two separate sections. The grant awarded Wednesday night will complete the bike path between Stouts Lane and Rt. 1.

When it is completed, the Freedom Trail Bikeway will be a 10-mile route linking parks and open spaces throughout South Brunswick. The trail follows a former rail line through woodlands, wetlands and neighborhoods. Currently, the trail is made up of two short sections that are not connected:

• The section in Monmouth Junction: A paved 1.4-mile pathway runs east from Stouts Lane, across New Road, then east and south to a parking lot on Ridge Road. Marked crosswalks have been added on New Road and Ridge Road.

• Kingston: This is an unpaved 1.2-mile trail from Ridge Road to Rt. 1. About a mile west from the preserve are two other rail-trails to explore: Kingston Branch Loop Trail and the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail.

To access the trail, there is a parking lot at 600 Ridge Road in Monmouth Junction. In Kingston, parking is available in the Cook Natural Area (1010 Ridge Road).

Here is more info about the South Brunswick Freedom Trail Bikeway: https://www.traillink.com/trai...

“We are excited about completing the Freedom Bike Trail, which is an important part of our recreational infrastructure," said South Brunswick Mayor Charlie Carley.

He said the path is enjoyed by both bike enthusiasts and "folks who just enjoy getting out and walking on a safe and environmentally appealing pathway."

"Many folks don’t know that this pathway was originally part of the old Rocky Hill-to-Monmouth Junction rail line," he added. "South Brunswick long ago envisioned it as a potential connecting link between our many preserved parcels of open space. Many thanks to the state for their assistance in funding this final piece of the bike trail."

This final section of the trail will be built using a $680,000 grant awarded to South Brunswick from the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Bikeway Grant Program.