Major Open Space Win for Southern Bergen: Abandoned Rail Line Transforms into 1.2-Mile Linear Park
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
East Rutherford NJ, a huge milestone was reached last week for residents in East Rutherford and surrounding southern Bergen County communities!
County Executive Jim Tedesco joined federal, state, county, and local officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Lois Lane Athletic Complex in East Rutherford. This complex is a crucial part of the massive effort to transform the abandoned Carlton Hill rail line into the Carlton Hill Greenway—a new, 1.2-mile linear park.
This project delivers on a key promise made in the 2019 Bergen County Parks Master Plan, which identified an urgent need for more access to recreation and open space in this densely populated region.
The Lois Lane Athletic Complex: More Than Just Fields
The Lois Lane Athletic Complex will sit adjacent to the future Greenway and is designed to create a recreational hub for families and athletes alike.
The new complex will feature:
- A dedicated soccer field
- A baseball field
- A pickleball area
- Multiple dog parks
- Other playgrounds and open areas
“It is not everyday that we get the opportunity to build a brand-new park and open space for our residents, and we are proud to support the Borough of East Rutherford in this project,” said County Executive Jim Tedesco.
The Carlton Hill Greenway: Connecting Communities and Nature
The main event is the Carlton Hill Greenway, which will convert the defunct rail corridor connecting East Rutherford and Rutherford into a dynamic linear park. Once complete, it will not only expand open space but also link southern Bergen County neighborhoods directly to the Passaic River.
The project is moving quickly:
- Bergen County has already awarded a professional services contract to Boswell Engineering for the design work.
- Construction on the Greenway is currently anticipated to begin in 2027.
Securing the Funds: A Triumph of Bipartisan Cooperation
This major community investment is powered by significant funding secured through unprecedented collaboration between state, county, and local leaders.
- State Funding Boost: The project received a substantial $5.5 million in state budget appropriations thanks to the dedication of Senator Paul Sarlo (Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee) and Assemblymembers Gary Schaer and Clinton Calabrese.
- County Support: The Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Committee has recommended an additional $450,000 in 2025 Open Space funding specifically for the Lois Lane Athletic Fields project.
“This is what happens when every level of government—state, county and local—works together with one shared goal: to invest in our communities and improve quality of life,” stated Senator Sarlo.
Assemblyman Calabrese echoed the sentiment, noting the initiative “creates valuable recreational space in one of Bergen County’s most densely populated areas and fulfills the vision behind the Carlton Hill Greenway.”
Together, the Carlton Hill Greenway and the Lois Lane Athletic Complex are poised to dramatically enhance access to outdoor space and recreational opportunities, delivering a lasting quality-of-life improvement for Southern Bergen County residents.
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Tedesco’s now-obvious shoveling skills will hopefully transition into him fixing all of the depressed manhole covers that plague our COUNTY roads.
I looked and googled, but found no explain of the Lois Lane Athletic Fields project.
Then I used AI and got …
The Lois Lane Athletic Fields project in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is named after its location on Lois Lane. The athletic fields are not named for the famous fictional journalist from the Superman comics.
DOH on me, but the county might explain that in it’s website.
How many acres of synthetic turf?
Bunch of square nosed shovels will not accomplish much. Need more tools. Where are the steel rakes, pick axes, round nose shovels, wheel barrels, etc?
If I see one more politician shoveling dirt I am going to throw up. We already have a village manager in Ridgewood who is a social media whore, but really, these idiots with tools for the photo ops is getting obnoxious.