The North Jersey Trail Network is an initiative of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, led in partnership with Rails to Trails Conservancy, to create a connected system of shared-use paths and on-street connections across North Jersey, linking communities and making it safer and easier for people to walk, bike, and roll.
Spanning six counties and the region’s most densely populated cities, this effort is building a network that supports everyday travel, including first- and last-mile connections to public transit, expands access to outdoor space, and improves health, safety, and mobility for millions of residents, including advancing at least 20 miles of priority bike and shared-use path corridors across the region.
👉 Explore the Network and Get Involved www.northjerseytrails.org
What is the North Jersey Trail Network Initiative?
The North Jersey Trail Network is an initiative of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, led in partnership with Rails to Trails Conservancy, and supported by community-based groups, local residents, nonprofit organizations, and regional coalitions working together to shape a healthier, more connected region built for how we move.
Our goal is to develop a network of shared-use paths that connect communities across North Jersey, expanding equitable and active transportation options while increasing access to outdoor recreation.
This vision focuses on six counties—Morris, Passaic, Essex, Bergen, Hudson, and Union—as well as the highly dense areas of Newark and Jersey City. Together, this region is home to approximately 4.1 million people—about 42% of New Jersey’s population.
Building on the region’s active transportation planning efforts, the initiative has identified a set of regional trail spines and opportunity corridors that form the backbone of the network. Current efforts focus on advancing these corridors and closing critical gaps between existing and planned trail segments, creating a more continuous and connected system across county lines. These opportunity corridors are designed to strengthen connections between major routes and make it easier for people to reach destinations, including transit safely.
We are working to connect key corridors and destinations across the region, including the Greenway (formerly the Essex-Hudson Greenway), the Morris Canal Greenway, and the East Coast Greenway.
Why a Regional Trail Network Matters
Creating a network of shared-use trails with priority corridors for transportation offers significant regional benefits. A connected trail network can reduce traffic congestion, improve safety for people walking and biking, and provide reliable transportation options for people who do not own cars, particularly lower-income households.
A connected network can also serve as a critical first- and last-mile connection to transit, helping more people access bus and rail services safely and reliably.
Trails support public health by encouraging physical activity, while also reducing long-term infrastructure costs and public spending associated with roadway expansion and maintenance.
Today, fewer than 5% of commuters in the region walk or bike, and only 10% of non-commute trips are made by walking or biking. At the same time, approximately 11% of households lack access to a vehicle. These gaps disproportionately impact low-income households and overburdened communities, limiting mobility and increasing exposure to unsafe roadway conditions.
The Need in North Jersey
North Jersey is home to some of the state’s most overburdened communities, including Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson. These areas face overlapping challenges, including air pollution from transportation and industry, urban heat island effects, and limited access to green space.
These conditions contribute to higher rates of asthma and other chronic health conditions, while also limiting opportunities for safe outdoor activity and community connection. Essex County has an asthma prevalence rate of 9.2%, and Hudson County 8.9%, compared to the statewide average of 8.9%.
A shared-use trail network helps address these challenges by providing safe, vehicle-free routes for everyday travel and recreation. It expands access to mobility for people of all ages and abilities, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, while offering free and accessible transportation options regardless of income.
Our Vision
The North Jersey Trail Network envisions a region where people have safe, accessible, and affordable ways to walk, bike, roll, enjoy the outdoors, and reach the places they need to go.
Together, we are bringing to life a regional trail system that links infrastructure, making it possible for people to travel safely and freely within their neighborhoods, across communities, and to the places they want to go, including transit stops and stations.
The network will create connected, welcoming spaces that support a healthier, stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient North Jersey.
Planning the Network
Through a collaborative visioning and mapping process, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and Rails to Trails Conservancy are working with partners and communities to identify corridors ripe for connection and develop a regional network map of critical links.
Projects are being advanced with a focus on implementation—designed to be funding-ready and aligned with regional and local priorities, including at least 20 miles of bike and shared-use path corridors identified for future development.
Community at the Core
The North Jersey Trail Network is being built in partnership with the people who live here and how they move.
As the network is developed, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and Rails to Trails Conservancy are actively engaging and recruiting community members to help shape the vision and guide how gaps in safety, access, and infrastructure are identified and addressed, where ideas originate from residents and stakeholders, not just from planning processes.
This approach ensures the network reflects real experiences, supports local identity, and builds long-term community ownership.
Community input is shaping how gaps in safety, access, and infrastructure are identified and addressed. From design to activation, this process prioritizes inclusion, cultural awareness, and equitable outcomes.
Partnerships and Implementation
Partnerships are essential to building a network that is both effective and equitable. The North Jersey Trail Network is being developed in partnership with the communities it serves, alongside public agencies, regional partners, community-based organizations, the business community, and the people who use and rely on these routes every day, including those who walk, bike, and roll, particularly those most vulnerable on our roadways, as well as advocates and bike shops.
The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and Rails to Trails Conservancy coordinate with NJTPA, counties, municipalities, private-sector partners, and a wide range of stakeholders to advance projects, align funding, and support long-term implementation.
Learn More and Get Involved
The North Jersey Trail Network has a dedicated website where you can explore the vision, follow progress, and find ways to participate.
👉 Explore the Network and Get Involved www.northjerseytrails.org
For more information, contact:
Tiffany R. Robinson
Trails and Active Mobility Director, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition
tiffany.robinson@njbwc.org
