The Greenway (formerly the Essex-Hudson Greenway) is an approximately nine-mile, 100-foot-wide linear corridor spanning Essex and Hudson Counties through eight municipalities: Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus, and Jersey City. Once used to transport iron ore and goods across the region, the corridor is now being reimagined as a multiuse regional connector for mobility, recreation, and ecological restoration. It will become a continuous linear park with safe, ADA-accessible walking and biking paths, green infrastructure, and welcoming community spaces.
The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition (NJBWC) led a decade-long advocacy campaign to transform this underutilized rail line into a publicly accessible greenway. That vision became reality in August 2022, when the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) acquired the property from Norfolk Southern Railroad and announced its conversion into New Jersey’s next state park—the first new state park in decades.
The Greenway is being developed by NJDEP, in partnership with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and NJ TRANSIT. This collaborative, statewide effort reflects a shared commitment to building a healthier, more connected New Jersey. Once complete, the Greenway will offer a safe, inclusive corridor for walking, biking, and rolling; manage stormwater through green infrastructure; restore habitat; and create vibrant public spaces for gathering, play, and rest.
Stretching from Montclair to Jersey City, the Greenway will transform the region by providing an equitable, off-road route that connects communities to nature, opportunity, and each other—delivering wide-reaching economic, environmental, and health benefits.
NJBWC, alongside local and regional partners, continues to play a leading role in advancing the Greenway and ensuring it reflects the needs and aspirations of the communities it serves. It will also serve as a key regional spine in the North Jersey Trail Network Initiative—an ambitious effort to build a connected system of shared-use paths across the region.
For official project updates or inquiries about the Greenway, please visit NJDEP’s Greenway page.
To learn more about future phases of the Greenway project, visit NJDEP’s Future Vision page.
Latest Update
On July 15, 2025, Governor Phil Murphy joined state and local leaders in Newark to break ground on the Greenway’s first phase—marking the largest single investment in New Jersey history for the development of a new state park. The Newark segment, expected to open by the end of 2026, will include:
- ADA-accessible trails lined with native plantings
- Three community gathering spaces: Newark Central Activity Center, Tiffany Manor Community Space, and Branch Brook Park Overlook
- Amenities including playgrounds, sports courts, rain gardens, performance areas, and picnic spaces
- Pathways designed for safety, sustainability, and inclusivity
NJBWC was proud to be recognized among the many partners whose longstanding advocacy helped bring the Greenway to this pivotal moment. NJBWC’s work to unite communities, elevate the project’s regional importance, and build broad-based support was instrumental in advancing the Greenway to this milestone.
Read more in the official press release: Office of the Governor | Governor Murphy Joins Local Officials in Newark to Break Ground on Landmark Greenway Project
Previous Highlights
June 7, 2025 – Step Into the Future of The Greenway: A National Trails Day Preview Walk
On Saturday, June 7, NJDEP and NJ Bike & Walk Coalition hosted a 2.5‑mile guided walk on the planned Newark section of the Greenway—an abandoned rail corridor soon to become New Jersey’s newest state park. The route highlighted three planned community gathering spaces, stormwater management techniques, and ecological restoration efforts.
