Rail trail extension will one day reach Freehold
By paul dowd
Staff Writer
ABERDEEN — On a recent spring afternoon, a bicyclist made his way to the trailhead of the Henry Hudson Trail off Lloyd Road in Aberdeen Township. The bicyclist stopped at the trailhead, navigated through the busy intersection of Lloyd Road and Clark Street, and proceeded down lower Main Street toward downtown Matawan.
In the future, that bicyclist will be able to continue on the trail for another 12 miles to Freehold Borough along the former Central Railroad track, now owned by NJ Transit. The rail line was in use up until the 1970s as a freight line. Passenger service on the line ceased in November 1953.
The proposed Henry Hudson Trail Extension along this corridor would link up with the existing 10-mile Henry Hudson Trail, which runs from Aberdeen to Atlantic Highlands.
The Monmouth County Park System, which operates the Henry Hudson Trail, is currently in lease negotiations with NJ Transit, according to Faith Hahn, the supervising planner for the park system.
"We are still trying to wrap up the negotiations; it is a matter of language, back and forth between us and NJ Transit," Hahn said.
The park system plans to begin removing railroad ties and clearing brush and debris this year, and begin work on the various bridges sometime next year, Hahn said.
Overall, park system officials are hopeful the project will take about three to four years and are working on various outlets for funding, including federal and state grants.
Rail trails have become extremely popular in the United States, as there are now more than 1,200 such trails in the nation encompassing more than 12,000 miles, according to J. Wandres, president of Monmouth Heritage Trail.
"The main benefits of rail trails are that they provide outdoor recreation without publicly acquiring open space, they reconnect neighborhoods and communities, provide economic benefits for merchants in the towns through which they pass, and tend to increase the value of real estate of homes on or near the trail," Wandres explained.
Monmouth Heritage Trail, a nonprofit corporation, has been promoting the development of the Aberdeen Township to Freehold line since its inception in December 1995.
"Our mission is to provide information, advocacy and support for the rail trail," Wandres said.
According to Wandres, Monmouth Heritage Trail stepped up its efforts to preserve the trail in January 1999 when it was learned that NJ Transit planned to demolish several wooden bridges, including a 425-foot trestle that spans Lake Matawan.
Monmouth Heritage Trail representatives contacted Monmouth County Freeholder Theodore Narozanick, who in turn called on NJ Transit to put off the demolition plan.
According to Wandres, Narozanick, the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners, Department of Environmental Protection Assistant Commissioner James Hall and Gov. Christie Whitman’s office persuaded NJ Transit to get a second opinion, inspect the bridges and look into repair costs. NJ Transit then began talks with the park system for a possible lease agreement for a linear park.
"We [Monmouth Heritage Trail] have always had the idea that the county would be the best agency to develop the trail, since they have the best experience," Wandres said.
An engineer from NJ Transit inspected the 50-foot-high Lake Matawan trestle and found it structurally sound, Wandres said. The trestle was originally built in the 1870s and completely rebuilt in 1911. In 1970, it was reinforced.
Along the trail to Freehold, there are still many obstacles, including several crossings over major roads like Route 79, Route 520 and East Freehold Road. There are also property rights issues, as the rail line runs adjacent to or through various residential neighborhoods and even a cemetery off Route 79.
For Monmouth Heritage Trail supporters, that means educating municipal officials and neighbors on the benefits of a rail trail, said Wandres.
The trail would provide an excellent opportunity for economic and recreational opportunities for the homeowners living adjacent to the line, according to Wandres.
Homeowners on the Henry Hudson Trail are very pleased with the trail, according to Hahn. The majority of users are from the immediate area, according to a survey by local Boy Scout troops in 1997 and 1998.
"The trail is very convenient, and an excellent resource," Hahn said. "Homeowners are pleased with management; we’re a good neighbor and they know who to call if there is a problem."

