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Weehawken, Hoboken 2010

WALK the WALKWAY

Hoboken and Weehawken

August 29, 2010

On Sunday, 5 walkers met at Port Imperial in Weehawken and completed the walk through Weehawken and Hoboken at 12:30.  We walked South through Weehawken and Hoboken and took the Light Rail back from Hoboken to Port Imperial.

Our walk began at Port Imperial in Weehawken where the Walkway has been largely completed but the area is under development.  There are public restrooms at the Ferry terminal.  A section of the Walkway is closed where the NY Waterways Ferry Maintenance yard is temporarily located.  This blocks part of the Walkway and is an ugly, disruptive and dirty site.  We saw a ferry blowing enormous amounts of oil smoke as it left the maintenance area.  We need to determine what the eventual disposition and location of the Ferry Maintenance facility will be and make sure it is consistent with the Walkway standards and operations.   This area has a davit for launching the row boats of the Weehawken Rowing Club.

The entire Walkway through Weehawken and Hoboken did not have any Walkway signs except in the Path terminal.  The Walkway itself doesn't need signs but we should look at perpendicular access requirements.

We proceeded past the Brownstones and Henley on Hudson. The Walkway is being rebuilt in a section of Henley on Hudson where the old Ferry Maintenance yard was located and should be completed before the end of the summer.  This will provide a continuous link of Walkway from Port Imperial to the Weehawken Municipal Park.

Weehawken Park is a beautiful facility with sporting fields, tennis courts, running track and lots of open space.  There is a buffer of wilderness area between the Walkway and the River that needs cleanup and attention. The Southern part of the Weehawken Municipal Park has not been built and there is no date to do so.  As a result, there is a gap in the Walkway and we had to walk around the undeveloped section to get to Lincoln Harbor.

The Walkway in Lincoln Harbor is fully completed up to the connection with Weehawken Cove.  It was built in the late 1980's by Hartz Mountain and is being completely rebuilt, including The Chart House Pier and the Office Pier, using sheet piling to replace the riprap.  A bike path and Walkway has been built from the Lincoln Harbor Light Rail stop to Weehawken Cove.  When Weehawken Cove is completed, it will be possible to walk or bike on the Walkway from the North Hoboken Ferry Terminal to the Lincoln Harbor Light Rail Station.

We walked around Weehawken Cove and reentered the Walkway at Hudson Tea in Hoboken. The North end of Hoboken is dominated by the Hudson Tea and Maxwell Place facilities.  The Walkway is complete and there are multiple recreation piers, bike racks, dog runs and child play areas and parks along the Walkway in this area.  There also is a boat launch near the Hoboken Boat House in Maxwell Place. After Maxwell Place, the Walkway ends at the working waterfront dry docks.

After the dry dock, the Walkway resumes with a skateboard park and a fishing pier, both being fully utilized when we passed. The next section of the Walkway below Castle Point is closed as it has collapsed into the Hudson River.  Reconstruction of this section by the city of Hoboken seemed to be underway but the activity was minimal.

The next section of the Walkway is currently being built by Stevens Tech.  It is being built over the water and is well on the way to completion.  There seems to be a fishing pier being built as part of the Stevens Walkway.  The Stevens section of the Walkway will add another crucial link to the Walkway.

After the Stevens section, we walked through the South end of Hoboken which was developed by The Port Authority and is magnificent.  Pier C with playgrounds, restrooms and parkland is almost complete.  Pier A was loaded with people sunbathing, and just enjoying the waterfront.  It was exhilarating to see the Waterfront being enjoyed by so many residents.

Overall, when Weehawken Cove and Stevens sections of the Walkway are completed, the Walkway through Weehawken and Hoboken will be almost contiguous and provide a wonderful waterfront experience that demonstrates why the Walkway is so valuable as an asset to the New Jersey Waterfront and the residents of New Jersey.

 

 

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