When completed, the Greenway will pass through eight municipalities in Essex and Hudson Counties: Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus, and Jersey City.  

DEP acquired the Greenway from the former rail operator, Norfolk Southern, on August 19, 2022. Since then, DEP has been working on transforming this former rail line into its newest State Park!  

Because of the scarcity of options for acquisition of significant open space in this highly populated region, the Greenway represented a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a truly transformative project that will provide sorely needed open space opportunities while serving as a catalyst for economic development while increasing community members’ quality of life – improving environmental, individual, and public health. When presented with the option to purchase this exceptional asset after years of hard work and dedication from many organizations and individuals, including, but not limited to, the Open Space Institute, the New Jersey Bike Walk Coalition, the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, and Norfolk Southern, DEP was compelled, consistent with its mission to provide high-quality open space opportunities to all areas of the State, to act and remains grateful for the opportunity.    

The Greenway is closed to public access while under development. Due to the legacy of industrial pollution in the vicinity, its prior railroad usage, and the dilapidation of existing infrastructure, the Greenway is not currently suitable for public use. 

DEP is in the process of developing a comprehensive Master Plan and development timeline. However, recognizing the need to satisfy the public interest in utilizing the space, DEP intends to undertake development in discrete phases to prioritize early access in parallel to the broader master planning process.  

That being said, the first phase of development will be a section that includes almost 2 miles across both Newark and Kearny. This location was determined by analyzing both the ease of construction and the potential positive community impacts. This phased approach would work in parallel to the development of the comprehensive Master Plan with further improvements and amenities subsequently incorporated into the Greenway in accordance with the finalized Master Plan. 

For more information on phased development, see our Greenway Phased Development & Engagement Strategy.

Pursuant to DEP’s purchase agreement, Norfolk Southern was required to remove all tracks and ties from the former rail corridor. This work concluded in Spring 2023. 

On April 4, 2023, DEP retained three consultant firms to assist the State with planning and design activities, including assessment services, development of planning and design documents, community and stakeholder engagement, and to facilitate the creation of master plans for its urban parks initiatives. The selected firms are assisting DEP with the commencement of robust community-focused stakeholder engagement, and develop recommendations for phased development, stormwater management, and remediation of historic industrial contamination through a series of Mini-Bids focused on safety and security needs assessment; stakeholder engagement and phased development; remedial investigation and design; and stormwater infrastructure. This work was completed in Fall 2023. 

In Fall 2023, DEP awarded the design coordination and construction management work order and design coordination work began and is ongoing.  

For more information on the work being done, see our Greenway Phased Development & Engagement Strategy.

The Department is committed to deep, robust public engagement, and development of the Greenway will be no exception. Community engagement is vital to the success of the Greenway and fully understanding how members of host communities want to use and interact with this new public open space, how it can best serve community needs, and other methods to ensure equitable distribution of the myriad environmental, public health, and economic benefits promised by this transformative project. 

DEP, with the assistance of its retained consultants, began its first stages of multi-faceted community engagement process in May 2023. This initial approach focuses on determining the appropriate first stages of development, safety and security, assessment of community vision for the Greenway and immediate investment in beneficial stormwater infrastructure.  

Since summer 2023, DEP and its partners have hosted 26 community engagement sessions ranging from pop-ups at farmer’s markets and block parties to formal listening sessions at public libraries and parks. The community engagement remains ongoing, follow the Greenway on Instagram for updates on future events at @njdep.greenway.  

The best way to stay informed on developments with the Greenway is to check the Greenway’s website regularly. It will be updated with significant developments with the project. If you would like to join the Greenway’s mailing list, enter your email address. 

For emergencies on the Greenway, call 9-1-1. The Greenway is currently an undeveloped corridor that is closed to public access. DEP State Park Police monitors the closed Greenway and incidents can be reported by calling 1-877-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337). 

DEP is engaging and coordinating with representatives from the communities along the Greenway. Individuals may find that local officials will be able to quickly respond to general inquiries. In instances where more information is required, DEP will work with local representatives to provide necessary information and periodically update this FAQ.  

For general questions and suggestions, complete this comment form. 

DEP is exploring safety and security measures for the Greenway, which will be a focus of formal stakeholder engagement beginning Spring 2023, and State Park Police have begun periodic patrols of the area. DEP is working closely with the local municipalities to address concerns and is in the process of installing appropriate signage.

DEP is working closely with the local municipalities to address concerns and is in the process of installing appropriate signage. Presently, the Greenway is closed to the public and any personal vehicles on the Greenway are trespassing and will be addressed through appropriate means.

Norfolk Southern issued encroachment letters prior to DEP acquiring the Greenway. DEP is in the process of addressing encroachment issues with the nine municipalities and impacted residents. 

If you would like more information on the encroachment letters and to discuss next steps, complete this comment form or call 609-940-4400. 

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