Henry Hudson Trail
| Henry Hudson Trail | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Along the southernmost segment of the trail, in Marlboro Township. | |
| Length | 24 miles (39 km) |
| Location | Monmouth county, New Jersey |
| Trailheads | Route 537 in Freehold Township Stevenson Drive in Marlboro Township |
| Use | Hiking, Cycling |
| Trail difficulty | Easy |
| Season | Year round |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| ROW | Monmouth County Agricultural Railroad, Freehold and Atlantic Highlands Railroad |
The Henry Hudson Trail (also known as the Bayshore Trail System) is a rail trail in New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson to honor the man who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The trail is not near the Hudson River.
The 24-mile-long (39 km), 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) paved multi-use trail is part of the Monmouth County, New Jersey Park System. The rail trail traverses the Raritan Bayshore and connects inland to Freehold Township using the former rights of way of several rail lines. Much of the trail is tree-lined, with some views of surrounding wetlands, streams and fields [1]. The property for the inland sections is currently railbanked by New Jersey Transit (NJT), who leases the line for trail usage to the Monmouth County Park System. The trail is administered by the Monmouth County Park System and is leased through 2020 for the use as a trail. It is important to note that this section is leased to the Monmouth County Park System and if future economic conditions warrant resuming operation, NJT reserves the right to restore rail service at any time. The railroad line was never officially abandoned (unlike most rail trails).
The Henry Hudson Trail was the first rail-trail developed in Monmouth County, and was joined by the Union Transportation rail-trail in 2010.
Contents |
[edit] Trail sections
Inland South
The southern segment of the inland section of the Henry Hudson trail runs runs north–south from county route 537 in Freehold to Stevenson Drive in Marlboro (directly across from Marlboro High School). The trail runs past the closed Youth Detention center (where there is ample parking) through subdivisions and tree lined fields. The Northern segment of the trail can be accesses via route 79[1]. This section was opened in 2006.
Inland North
The northern segment of the inland section of the Henry Hudson trail runs north–south from Wyncrest road (A new addition) in Marlboro to Church Street in Matawan. The trail runs through wooded areas and subdivisions. The Atlantic segment of the trail can be accessed via local streets[1]. This section was opened in 2006. The most recent addition in early 2011.
Atlantic
The "Atlantic" section of the Henry Hudson trail was the first section to be developed and runs west–east, it has been in place since 1992 [2]. The route roughly parallels route 36 from the Garden State Parkway to Atlantic Highlands, with trail heads at Lloyd Rd. and Clark St. in Aberdeen/Keyport and Avenue D in Atlantic Highlands. This section has many road crossings. A short on-road connection from Avenue D in Atlantic Highlands allows trial users to link with the Bayshore Bike Trail[1].
Bayshore Bike Trail
A 1.4-mile extension (2.3 km) called the Bayshore Bike Trail opened on Earth Day in April 2009. The Bayshore Bike Trail extends the existing "Atlantic" section of the Henry Hudson Trail eastward from Avenue D below the bluffs of Atlantic Highlands, ending at Popamora Lake Park near the Atlantic Highlands ferry dock. The addition contains four boardwalks and a bridge that traverses several marshy areas [3]. Note that this short trail in hard packed stone dust and not asphalt.
[edit] History
The Marlboro Township section of the rail line began in the 1860s as the Monmouth County Agricultural Railroad. The railroad carried produce, manufactured goods and Marl fertilizer to the rail pier in Keyport. The railroad can be seen on a map from 1873.[4] All service ceased in the 1950s.[5] The original 9-mile (14 km) "Atlantic" section is built on the former right-of-way of the Freehold and Atlantic Highlands Railroad, which was later absorbed by the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
Throughout the 1990s, railbanking of the line between Freehold and Matawan was considered. Freight service over this stretch of track had ceased in phases; first in 1973 and then completely by Conrail in 1983. Ownership of the line changed hands several times, eventually going to NJT. NJT, in turn, selected the rail corridor as one of three options for its MOM (Middlesex– Ocean–Monmouth) commuter rail line proposal. Eventually, NJT removed the Freehold-Matawan line from MOM consideration and leased the line to Monmouth County for trail usage.
[edit] Current status
On September 14, 2009 a portion of the southern section of the trail from Texas Road (Matawan) to Greenwood Road (Marlboro) was closed for an 18-months project for a super fund clean up at the site of the former Imperial oil company.[6] The anticipated reopening of this section of the trail is slated for late 2011.[7]
The final two “missing links” are on hold as NJT has resurrected the idea of utilizing the rail corridor for its MOM commuter rail line. [8] According to the Sierra Club, should the transit agency opt to restore commuter service along the line, it would be the first instance in U.S history where a rail trail reverted back to railway usage.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Henry Hudson Trail Brochure. Monmouth County Park System. 2010. p. 1. http://co.monmouth.nj.us/documents/130/hht_6_10.pdf.
- ^ "VOLUNTEERS PLANT TREES ALONG THE UNION TRANSPORTATION TRAIL". Monmouth County Park System Website. November 6, 2010. http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ Asbury Park Press, March 6, 2009
- ^ http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/HISTORICALMAPS/RAILROADS/NJ_RR_1873.jpg
- ^ http://www.bicyclehub.com/heritage.htm
- ^ Asbury Park Press, September 11, 2009
- ^ http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/Page.aspx?ID=2525
- ^ Sentinel, October 25, 2001
- ^ http://www.sierraclub.org/stories/people/margaret-mahoney.asp
[edit] External links
- Monmouth County Parks page on trail
- Description of southern and middle sections
- Description of "Atlantic", ("eastern", original, or "old") section
- Descriptive Henry Hudson Trail site with many photos
- Monmouth County Park System Map
Coordinates: 40°25′49″N 74°06′30″W / 40.43028°N 74.10833°W
|
|||||||||||
