Construction crews have broken ground on New Jersey’s largest single park investment, converting a 135-acre rail corridor into the nine-mile Essex–Hudson Greenway. The $69.2 million first phase, now under way in Newark and scheduled to open by late 2026, will serve the nearly one million people who live in communities along the full nine-mile corridor, according to state documents. The linear park will run through eight tightly clustered towns along the Hudson and Essex county line.
For outdoor-hospitality operators, the project is more than a recreation upgrade. New foot and bike traffic should translate into fresh revenue streams, while the park’s sustainability features and future transit links offer blueprints for properties hoping to lengthen guest stays and stand out in a competitive Mid-Atlantic market.
The corridor stretches from Jersey City to Montclair, touching Secaucus, Kearny, Newark, Belleville, Bloomfield and Glen Ridge along the way. Averaging 100 feet wide, the route overlays a former Norfolk Southern freight line and will eventually become part of both the East Coast Greenway and the September 11th National Memorial Trail. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is leading development, the Economic Development Authority is managing construction, and NJ TRANSIT is studying how a Secaucus-Meadowlands Transitway spur could share the right of way.
Phase 1 focuses on a nearly one-mile Newark segment that will connect Branch Brook Park Drive to Broadway. Designers have separated pedestrian and cycling lanes, lowered all lighting to reduce glare and lined the path with native plantings. Three community hubs—Newark Central Activity Center, Tiffany Manor Community Space and Branch Brook Park Overlook—will add playgrounds, performance lawns, rain gardens and an observation deck.
Area campgrounds and RV parks located within a short drive of the Greenway may see increased business by bundling overnight stays with bike or e-scooter rentals, guided trail walks or picnic baskets delivered to trailheads. Offering a scheduled shuttle during peak mornings and late afternoons can eliminate parking stress for guests and convert day-trippers into multi-night visitors. Cross-promotions with corridor restaurants, breweries and gear shops—activated through QR codes on confirmation emails—extend the spending loop, while geofencing ads targeting phones that enter Branch Brook Park can lift click-through rates. Flexible policies such as 3 p.m. check-outs on high-traffic weekends help travelers finish rides without rushing.
The Greenway’s storm-water rain gardens and down-facing LEDs also set a visible standard that private parks can mirror. Permeable gravel pads control runoff, shielded lighting protects night skies, and native landscaping cuts irrigation costs while echoing the state’s habitat-restoration goals. Operators installing multi-modal charging hubs for EVs, e-bikes and mobility scooters, roll-in showers and three-bin waste stations can market their properties as eco-peers of the new park and tap into growing demand for sustainability-certified destinations.
Meanwhile, NJ TRANSIT is weighing a plan to dedicate one lane of the future Secaucus-Meadowlands Transitway inside the corridor, potentially allowing visitors to arrive gear-free and rely on campground shuttles once they exit the train, according to the same state documents. If implemented, campgrounds could position themselves as car-optional hubs for travelers exploring urban North Jersey by rail, bike or foot.
“Spanning two of the most densely populated counties in the country, the Greenway will be a new landmark that reflects who we are and where we’re going,” Governor Phil Murphy said during the July 9 groundbreaking in Newark.
“This groundbreaking ceremony in historic Newark marks a milestone, beginning the long-awaited transformation of an abandoned rail-line into a world-class urban park that will be a significant recreational and economic asset for New Jersey,” Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette added at the event.
“Today’s Greenway groundbreaking marks the moment we go from having a vision to building a game-changer for active transportation and recreation in New Jersey,” said Debra Kagan, executive director of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition.
Construction on the Newark segment is slated to continue through 2026, with future phases extending west to Montclair and east to Jersey City as design work and funding fall into place. That two-year runway gives campground owners time to add shuttles, invest in bike fleets and complete dark-sky lighting upgrades before the first wave of riders arrives.
The project underscores a broader $100 million Green Acres initiative that aims to expand urban parks statewide, an effort Governor Murphy has said will “ensure all New Jersey communities have access to recreational opportunities” in a separate funding announcement.
For private operators, the Greenway offers a dual win: an economic lift from new visitors and a chance to align with a high-profile public investment in equitable, car-light recreation. Once the corridor ties into the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway, North Jersey campgrounds could find themselves highlighted on interstate trail maps—making early preparation worth every penny.