Hidden River, Hidden Paths: Hackensack is Reclaiming Its Riverfront from Pollution and Concrete

Pathways to the River: Hackensack’s Mission to Reconnect with Its Waterfront

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, For years, the Hackensack River, which defines the city’s eastern boundary, has been an invisible asset. Blocked by industrial sites, overdevelopment, and busy roadways, residents have struggled to access the beautiful waterway. Now, a new project called Pathways to the River aims to change that, fundamentally transforming Hackensack into a true riverfront city.

Led by the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation and the Hackensack Environmental Justice Alliance, the initiative seeks to create a seamless network of accessible paths and walkways along the river’s edge.

“This is about reclaiming a space that had belonged to people who lived in Hackensack for thousands of years and was essentially taken away from them by pollution and car-oriented development,” said Leonardo Vazquez, executive director of the foundation. “You can drive the whole length of River Street in Hackensack and not know there is a river there.”

Boosting Health and Enjoyment: The Vision for New Walkways

The project is more than just concrete and signage; it’s about public health and community benefit. As Peter Dolan, a Senior Trail Planner for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, notes, numerous studies confirm the importance of time spent walking outdoors in nature.

The Trail Conference, known for developing the 36-mile Lenape Trail in Essex County, is tasked with planning the routes, installing public art, and creating better signage to transform these underused areas.

The ultimate goals are to:

• Create interconnected walkways that flow along the river.
• Install clear signage to guide people to and along the river.
• Encourage public use and enjoyment of the riverfront as a local amenity.

Mayor Caseen Gaines has expressed the city’s commitment to collaborating on the project, recognizing the opportunity to improve residents’ access to the river. In fact, for the last 25 years, Hackensack has required all new riverfront developments to include a public walkway, building the disjointed foundation for what organizers hope will eventually become a continuous path.

Community Input is Crucial: Have Your Say

Project organizers emphasize that local knowledge is key to the success of Pathways to the River. They need to hear from Hackensack residents about how they want to use the trail, which areas feel safest, and what local amenities—like businesses or the library—they want to access from the path.

Two public input sessions are scheduled to gather these vital ideas:

• Session 1: October 29, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rinconcito Musical, 342 Main St.
• Session 2: November 22, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Location TBD)

Spanish translation will be provided at both sessions.

Residents can register for the community engagement sessions at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pathways-to-the-river-community-meeting.

From Superfund to Stewardship: The Environmental Justice Angle

The need for public access is deeply rooted in environmental justice. As Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan points out, allowing people to get down to the water is crucial in an urban area.

“By putting all these alternate methods of access together, it’s giving future generations opportunities that were denied to people for so long,” Sheehan said.

Beyond recreation, improved public access provides an environmental benefit: more eyes on the river. This enhanced public scrutiny helps deter illegal pollution, aiding the river’s long-term recovery. This is especially vital since the Hackensack River was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2022 for large-scale cleanup, a multi-year effort to restore the once-teeming ecosystem.

Projects like Pathways to the River and the Foundation’s work on rain gardens and green roofs to mitigate flooding are turning the tide, helping the community view the river not as a polluted boundary, but as a great asset.

Tell your story #TheRidgewoodblog , #Indpendentnews, #information, #advertise, #guestpost, #affiliatemarketing,#NorthJersey, #NJ , #News, #localnews, #bergencounty, #sponsoredpost, #SponsoredContent, #contentplacement , #linkplacement, Email: [email protected]