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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][breadcrumb-shortcode][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The Greenway is an approximately nine-mile former rail corridor that crosses through eight municipalities in Essex and Hudson counties. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection acquired this property from Norfolk Southern Corporation on August 19, 2022, following years of advocacy to transform the abandoned rail line into a recreational and transportation corridor.

The Greenway is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a linear multi-modal recreational and transit corridor enabling seamless walking, biking and transit opportunities between Montclair and Jersey City, while serving as a catalyst for environmental improvements and economic development in the adjacent communities.

Public input has played a key role in the development of the Greenway to ensure the reclaimed urban green space reflects the needs of host communities and surrounding areas. Outreach began in 2023 and has included events in every municipality along the Greenway’s route, from informal gatherings at farmers markets and block parties to formal open houses and listening sessions at libraries, schools and parks.

Near final plans for Phase 1 in Newark were presented to the public for comment at an open house hosted at Park Elementary School on Nov. 13, 2024.

Groundbreaking for the nearly one-mile Newark segment of the Greenway took place on July 15, 2025.

To learn more about future phases of the Greenway project, visit our future vision page.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion active_section=”h”][vc_tta_section title=”Rail History” tab_id=”1752336608468-64885844-6031″][vc_column_text css=””]

1800s

Rail Origins: Ice was harvested from New Jersey lakes and moved along the rail line into major ports in Jersey City and New York City.

To build the rail, construction workers blasted through portions of the bedrock ridge that cuts through Kearny to connect northern New Jersey to the ports of New York.

1900s

Many Rails Into One: In 1887, the Erie Railroad created the Arlington Railroad to connect over the Kearny Meadows between the Hackensack and Passaic rivers. The rail line expanded into Jersey City in 1943.

In 1960, the Erie Railroad merged with another rail line to the Hoboken Terminal via the Bergen Tunnels, connecting the rail between Jersey City, Boonton and westward.

2000s

2000s to Today: The rail line carried commuters until 2002, when NJ TRANSIT discontinued operations because of low ridership, the opening of alternate lines with direct service to New York and repair costs associated with two bridges on the line.

Freight service on the line east of Newark discontinued in the 1990’s and no freight traffic has moved between Newark and Montclair since 2009.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection acquired the rail property from Norfolk Southern in 2022 to convert it into a recreation and transportation corridor.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Project Timeline” tab_id=”1752336608473-b28a6ce2-fa3e”][vc_column_text css=””]

Research & Analysis

2023: Stakeholder engagement in communities along the Greenway. From pop-ups at farmer’s markets and block parties to formal listening sessions at public libraries and parks, DEP and its consultants have connected with hundreds of people.

Design & Development

Fall 2023: Awarded design coordination and construction management work order. Design coordination work began.

Winter 2023 – Summer 2024: Continued community engagement in Newark and Kearny. Design coordination work ongoing.

Fall 2024: The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and NJ TRANSIT hosted an open house-style event in Newark to present project updates and artistic images of the Greenway, and collected feedback from the public. Newark announced as the inaugural section of the Greenway, spanning 0.8 miles from Branch Brook Park to Broadway in Newark.

Summer 2025: Governor Phil Murphy hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in Newark commencing construction of Phase 1 of the Greenway. AECOM Tishman announced as the construction manager for the project through a competitive bidding process led by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row]