Additional Details
Morris County will hold a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the grand opening of the Pompton Valley Rail Trail on Thursday, May 29, at 3 p.m.The former New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad’s Greenwood Lake Branch has been converted into a 5.1-mile paved trail traveling through Pequannock in Morris County to Wayne in Passaic County.
The $32 million project, funded through a federal grant administered by the North Jersey Transportation Authority (NJTPA), is one of the largest trail initiatives in Morris County history. Design and right-of-way purchases accounted for nearly $11 million, while construction cost about $21 million. Work kicked off in June 2022 after decades of planning between the county, the Morris County Park Commission, Pequannock Township, Wayne Township and others.
The trail was originally dubbed the New York, Susquehanna & Western Bicycle & Pedestrian Shared Use Path, recognizing its roots as a retired railway line. However, as planning and construction carried on, the tongue-twisting moniker eroded with time and a more user-friendly Pompton Valley Rail Trail emerged.