A Journey Along the Towpath ... your quarterly dig on the Morris Canal Greenway Project Vol: 8
Passaic County Department of Planning & Economic Development
June 2012
Greenway hikes, Coming to a Neighborhood Near You!
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Photo credit: Ron Rice
he Morris Canal Greenway Feasibility Study was adopted as an element of the Passaic County Master Plan in October 2011. In spring 2012, Passaic County hosted two hikes along the route of the greenway illustrated in the Feasbility Study.
Representatives from the Canal Society of New Jersey, Warren County Morris Canal Committee, Sussex County Planning Department, and Passaic County Department of Planning & Economic Development presented a session entitled, “Utilization of a NJ Historic Transportation Corridor: The Morris Canal” at Sustaining the Past - Inventing the Future, the 2012 NJ Historic Preservation Conference. The session discussed the accomplishments and challenges faced by Morris Canal preservationists across the state, and efforts underway in many counties to create a Greenway along the historic route of the Canal.
Future Greenway Route along Broad Street, Clifton Photo credit: Ron Rice
Sustaining the Past - Inventing the Future
Recently Completed Greenway near Thomas E. May Park, Woodland Park Photo credit: Ron Rice
Recently Completed Greenway at Peckman Preserve, Little Falls
Over sixty people hiked along both completed and proposed segments of the Greenway. Joe Macasek, noted author and Canal Historian, guided hikers through the rich history of the canal as they discovered all the great parks, historical sites, and recreation areas that already exist along the future Greenway.
Upcoming Hikes: Wayne Sunday, August 5 10:00 AM - 12:00PM Start: Riverside Park on Farmingdale Rd. at Deerfield Rd. End: Pompton Aquatic Park on Maple Ln. at Cole St. Getting there: Park in Riverside Park Lot
The spring hike series kicked off in Clifton, beginning at the Morris Canal Park & Jack W. Kuepfer Sr. Nature Preserve on Broad Street, where hikers experienced a water fi lled section of the canal. Then, hiking north on Broad Street along the former canal route, hikers passed historic farm houses, arriving at the corner of Van Houten Avenue, once the village of Centerville and location of Cheap Josie’s hotel.
Paterson
The second hike followed the former route of the canal from Woodland Park into Little Falls. Along the way, hikers passed remains of the Morris Canal’s intact prism and towpath, aqueduct abutments, cornerstones from the Little Falls aqueduct, and Beattie Carpet Mill.
Pompton Lakes
The summer/fall hike series kicks off in Wayne, followed by Paterson, and Pompton Lakes. For full details on the upcoming hikes, please visit www.passaiccountynj.org/Morris-CanalGreenway-Study.
Sunday, September 16 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Start: Lambert Castle End: Great Falls National Historical Park Getting there: Park in Lambert Castle lot or NJ Transit Bus 192, 702
Sunday, October 14 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Start: Mathes Avenue Woodlands at Riverview Rd. End: Pompton Aquatic Park on Woodlawn Ave. at Birch Ave. Getting there: On-street parking on Mathes Ave. or NJ Transit Bus 197
Freeholders fund Greenway Trail Markers, Kiosks, and Brochure The Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders appropriated funds from the Passaic County Open Space Trust Fund to purchase trail markers for all off-road segments of the Greenway, design and construct six kiosks to be placed in existing parks along the Greenway, as well as design and print Morris Canal in Passaic County brochures.
Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders
The trail markers, left, are similar to Morris Canal greenway trail markers in Warren and Morris Counties. Brochure and the illustrative panels that will fill the kiosks are also similar to those in Warren County. Maintaining a consistent look and feel for all signage, logos, and marketing will help identify the Greenway as one statewide trail in any community. One ki-
osk will be placed in each of the six Passaic County towns through which the Greenway passes. County staff are working with municipal officials to identify proper locations and content for the kiosks. The brochure should be available by September, and the markers and kiosks should be installed by October.
Vol: 8
Passaic County Department of Planning & Economic Development
Morris Canal Greenway Status Webmap
June 2012
Greenway Project Receives NJ Future Smart Growth Award
The Passaic County website now features a Morris Canal Greenway Status Webmap. This map displays the historic route of the Morris Canal from Phillipsburg to Jersey City, and the proposed route of the Morris Canal Greenway in Passaic County.
The Morris Canal Greenway Project was honored by New Jersey Future with a 2012 Smart Growth Award at the 11th Annual Smart Growth Awards ceremony in June. New Jersey Future is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together concerned citizens and leaders to promote responsible land-use policies. The organization employs original research, analysis and advocacy to build coalitions and drive land-use policies that help revitalize cities and towns, protect natural lands and farms, provide more transportation choices beyond cars, expand access to safe and affordable neighborhoods and fuel a prosperous economy.
To view the map, please visit www.passaiccountynj.org/Morris-Canal-Greenway-Study and click on “Morris Canal Greenway Map.” First you will see a Welcome tab, like the one shown ro the right. Click on the Instructions tab, circled in pink, to learn how to use the map, then click on the Agree button, circled in blue, to enter the map. Please note: If any of the Webmap layers or features do not load automatically, or an error message appears, simply refresh the window
The awards help promote New Jersey Future’s mission to secure economic opportunity, community vitality and quality of life for all New Jerseyans.
in your internet browser. The status of the proposed Greenway is divided into three colors: green signifies the Greenway is complete, yellow signifies the Greenway is publicly accessible but needs improvements and is not yet complete, red signifies the Greenway is not publicly accessible or complete. Dashed lines signify alternate routes. The map can be viewed in aerial view, below left, or street view, below right.
Feasibility Study Receives ACEC NJ Distinguished Award The American Council of Engineering Companies - New Jersey Chapter honored the Morris Canal Greenway Feasibility Study with a Distinguished award at its 41st Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet in March. ACEC - NJ is an advocate for New Jersey’s consulting engineering profession, striving to enhance the business practices of professional engineering companies in the planning, design and construction industry.
As additional segments of the greenway are completed, this webmap will be updated. While you are encouraged to use the greenway segments highlighted in green, you are not permitted to utilize the greenway segments highlighted in red. The historic route of the Morris Canal is blue. Municipal boundaries are purple.
The ACEC NJ awards celebrate the projects of nearly 30 New Jersey consulting engineering firms, whose efforts demonstrated both superior skill and the highest degree of creativity. This year’s judging panelists awarded one Grand Honor Award – six Honor Awards and 20 Distinguished Awards to this year’s participants. Louis Berger Group and Passaic County jointly accepted the award.
Where to next? Forward progress!
County received ANJEC Grant
Feasibility Study adopted as County Master Plan element
County & Municipalities apply for grant funding
Freeholders allocate open space funds for signage and brochures
NJTPA forms Morris Canal Working Group
Tell us what you think! Contact us: Passaic County Planning Attn: Jennifer Gonzalez 930 Riverview Drive, Suite 250 Totowa, NJ 07512 973-569-4040 jenniferg@passaiccountynj.org
County negotiates Greenway route with NJDWSC
Morris Canal Greenway Hike Series
NJ Future Smart Growth Award & ACEC NJ Distinguished Award
Greenway “live” status webmap published
Engineering Design & Construction
Special Thanks:
Find us on Facebook!
Funding for the Morris Canal Greenway Feasibility study provided by the Passaic County Open Space Trust Fund and ANJEC.
www.facebook.com/ MorrisCanalGreenway
The Passaic County Department of Planning & Economic Development thanks the dedicated members of the Greenway team for their ongoing support. Staff especially thanks Joe Macasek for his ongoing efforts and guidance in the Morris Canal Hike Series.
Visit our website: www.passaiccountynj.org/ Morris-Canal-Greenway-Study
Thank you to all the individuals and organizations participating in the Morris Canal Greenway Project; and many thanks to the Board of Chosen Freeholders and municipal officials.