Middlesex Greenway
Encyclopedia
The Middlesex Greenway is a multi-use trail in New Jersey
running from the
town of Metuchen
to Woodbridge, for
a total length of 3.5 miles (5.6 km).
The current trail starts at Crows Mill Road near William Street, with a 10-foot wide asphalt surface
and ends in Metuchen west of Amboy and Lake avenues. There are 12 entry points along the trail's length.
The current trail construction is slated for completion in early 2012.
The estimated total cost of the greenway including drainage, gateways, lighting and benches
is projected to be $5 million.
The Middlesex Greenway Collation is pursuing expansion of the trail along the right of way west to
Perth Amboy and north to South Plainfield.
created by the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1875
to haul anthracite coal to a transfer dock in Perth Amboy for subsequent delivery to New York City
. The line
was eventually consolidated into Conrail with other bankrupt
railroads in 1976. The line was abandoned in 1991.
Using open space funds,
Middlesex county obtained the property of the abandoned rail line from Conrail in December 2002 for
approximately $50,000.
In 2004 Edison officials challenged NJDOT's plan to replace the greenway's original rail bridge with
a 140 foot long tunnel-like structure to carry the 3.6-mile greenway under US Route 1. The
proposed culvert
would have reduced the greenway's capacity to a 14 foot wide by 10 foot high passageway
which would have prevented the town's mounted police
from traversing the highway.
Ultimately the NJDOT agreed to construct a pedestrian
bridge in lieu of
the culvert.
In 2005 Middlesex County acquired 2.68 acres of land adjacent to the Greenway to build a park along a portion of
the right-of-way. The new park provides trail access and parking, the purchase was funded with $1.25 million from Middlesex
County and $100,000 from the town of Metuchen.
Work began in early 2010 to surface the trail using $1 million in federal stimulus money from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
running from the
town of Metuchen
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
to Woodbridge, for
a total length of 3.5 miles (5.6 km).
The current trail starts at Crows Mill Road near William Street, with a 10-foot wide asphalt surface
and ends in Metuchen west of Amboy and Lake avenues. There are 12 entry points along the trail's length.
The current trail construction is slated for completion in early 2012.
The estimated total cost of the greenway including drainage, gateways, lighting and benches
is projected to be $5 million.
The Middlesex Greenway Collation is pursuing expansion of the trail along the right of way west to
Perth Amboy and north to South Plainfield.
Trail heads
- WoodbridgeWoodbridge Township, New Jersey-Communities:Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that,...
, Crows Mill Road in Woodbridge
- MetuchenMetuchen, New JerseyMetuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
, Middlesex Avenue in Metuchen
History
The trail's right-of-way originates from the Easton and Amboy RailroadEaston and Amboy Railroad
Easton and Amboy Railroad was a railroad built across central New Jersey by the Lehigh Valley Railroad in the 1870s. The line was built to connect the Lehigh Valley Railroad coal hauling operations in Pennsylvania to consumer markets in New York City....
created by the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1875
to haul anthracite coal to a transfer dock in Perth Amboy for subsequent delivery to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The line
was eventually consolidated into Conrail with other bankrupt
railroads in 1976. The line was abandoned in 1991.
Using open space funds,
Middlesex county obtained the property of the abandoned rail line from Conrail in December 2002 for
approximately $50,000.
In 2004 Edison officials challenged NJDOT's plan to replace the greenway's original rail bridge with
a 140 foot long tunnel-like structure to carry the 3.6-mile greenway under US Route 1. The
proposed culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
would have reduced the greenway's capacity to a 14 foot wide by 10 foot high passageway
which would have prevented the town's mounted police
Mounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
from traversing the highway.
Ultimately the NJDOT agreed to construct a pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
bridge in lieu of
the culvert.
In 2005 Middlesex County acquired 2.68 acres of land adjacent to the Greenway to build a park along a portion of
the right-of-way. The new park provides trail access and parking, the purchase was funded with $1.25 million from Middlesex
County and $100,000 from the town of Metuchen.
Work began in early 2010 to surface the trail using $1 million in federal stimulus money from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
.