Adding to what many environmentalists consider one of the area’s natural treasures, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) recently cut the ribbon on a new section of its series of walkways throughout the meadows.
The mile-long trail traverses the Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management area in North Arlington and becomes the southern most segment to Meadows Path, a partially completed 21-mile pedestrian walkway spanning the entire length of the Hackensack Meadowlands District. When completed, the path will begin in Little Ferry and end in Kearny. The trail currently connects to the existing Marsh Discovery Trail that was opened in 1991, and more than doubles the total distance visitors to the area can walk.
Recently, wildlife sightings along the path have included egrets and great blue herons, which can be seen feeding on the mudflats.
"This one mile segment of Meadows Path will give birders and nature enthusiasts a unique vantage point for close observation of the area’s shore birds, wading birds and water fowl," said Alan Steinberg, NJMC’s executive director.
Acquired under a special arrangement with PSE&G – the company that constructed the path as a road in the 1920s to maintain access to its transmission lines – NJMC raised the road and built a bridge to complete the trail. The dirt road was then covered with red gravel to provide a comfortable walking surface for pedestrians and the sides have been bordered with rocks to keep it dry.
Mike Gonnelli, who toured the path, said minor repairs would be made to the surface and over the next few months, seats will be installed at intervals.
At each of the path’s three entrances are three wrought iron gates decorated with images of marsh animals. These were designed by NJMC’s landscape architect, Joanne DiLorenzo.
To make the path possible, PSE&G donated $120,000 and the New Jersey Department of Transportation allocated a $600,000 Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant.