Sayreville plays crucial role
in Raritan River strategy plan
BY JOLENE HART
Staff Writer
Located along the south bank of the Raritan River from the bay to the South River, Sayreville is a critical player in the move to turn the waterway into a regional destination.
In addition to composing a large quantity of what county officials are calling the River Bend District, where boaters are to be drawn around the bend to up-river destinations, Sayreville holds a wealth of waterfront resources that make the borough itself a viable attraction.
The quantity and variety of Sayreville’s resources along the river offer a unique advantage to the borough. A study conducted by the Middlesex County Planning Board identified the site of the former Robert E. Lee Restaurant as the best location for a ferry service and marina, according to the Raritan Riverfront Strategy Plan.
The plan also encourages the borough to consider both the concept of a marina on the Washington Canal, which would provide docking and fueling for boaters, and the possibility of a ferry service to Lower Manhattan.
The plan credits the opening of the Middlesex County Sanitary Sewerage Plant in Sayreville with significantly decreasing pollution in the Raritan Bay.
With the decline of industry along the river, the whole of the River Bend District is in need of a cohesive direction. The plan indicates that a move toward new growth — in the form of marinas, parks, special attractions and marine recreation — is an ideal strategy.
Sayreville’s own Waterfront Redevelopment Plan, created in 1999, specifically addresses the "underutilized" areas at the northeastern tip of the borough, the result of the decline in industry. By addressing the land in 13 distinct parcels, specific potential and appropriate usage are identified for each.
The Waterfront Redevelopment Plan, clearly instrumental in the county’s development of the Raritan Riverfront Strategy Plan, identifies the opportunity for a regional mall, office complex, hotel or entertainment and retail center in the area. Nearly all of the parcels list commercial facilities as potential developments.
"I can tell you what I don’t want to see along the river," said Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien. "Industrial and residential areas or warehouses."
In Sayreville, the move toward redevelopment has already become a major goal.
As the Raritan Riverfront Strategy Plan reports, a large portion of the development potential in the borough "is dependent on revolving ownership and contamination problems" at the former site of National Lead Industries (NL). Progress at NL remains in preliminary stages as grants and permits are sought that may open up redevelopment opportunities at the site.
A recurring concept in the plan is the development of a park and walkway that will stretch along the borough’s riverfront. Like neighboring South River, a great deal of Sayreville’s waterfront border includes recreational land, parks and open space. According to the plan, about half of the 1,474 acres of municipally owned land in Sayreville is underdeveloped.
The River Road Waterfront Park, the subject of a redevelopment plan established in March 2003, is also central to Sayreville’s role in the county’s plan. The site is slated to undergo improvements including a marina and park expansion, and its wetlands areas will be preserved.
"This will be a very attractive park with fine facilities for boaters," O’Brien said.
Aside from waterborne accessibility, efficient roadway transportation is stressed in the county’s plan. For Sayreville, this could mean consideration of a Trans-Raritan Bridge linking Sayreville and Edison, a proposal cited in another plan known as Middlesex County’s Strategic Plan.
Funding for the projects described in the Raritan Riverfront Strategy Plan will come from both public and private sources, and will be determined based on the goals and scope of each individual project.
Randy Corman, executive director of the Sayreville Economic Redevelopment Agency (SERA), one of many government agencies consulted in the development of the Raritan Riverfront Strategy Plan, said the research included in the new document may serve as a "useful planning tool" for SERA and the borough as a whole.
Corman spoke favorably about the county’s plan, saying it coordinates an effort by several neighboring municipalities to reach a common goal.
"Opening up the Raritan will certainly be beneficial for Sayreville," O’Brien said, noting that the plan could help residents gain "full enjoyment" of Sayreville’s resources.