The Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy is pleased to announce that Elise Morrison of Edgewater has been appointed President of the Conservancy effective June 1, 2024. Elise has been a Board member for 6 years has been responsible for developing partnerships with other organizations who work to improve the access, safety and ecology along the Hudson River and was crucial to establishing a Special Walkway Improvement District in Edgewater. Don Stitzenberg has stepped down as President but will remain a vital part of the Conservancy Board.

We sincerely thank Don for his leadership and the many accomplishments:

• · The Walkway has become a vital asset in the minds of Developers, Municipalities and the public in general for its benefit to local transportation and recreation opportunities. It is now enthusiastically endorsed by them.  This is in contrast to being viewed as an added and unnecessary cost and maintenance burden which prevailed previously.
• · Major sections of the Walkway were completed at the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne (MOTBY), Colgate Clock and Ellipse Condominium in Jersey City, Stevens University in Hoboken, Weehawken Cove and Weehawken Park in Weehawken, Guttenberg/ North Bergen Park, Roc Harbor and Watermark Condominiums in North Bergen, Edgewater Harbor and Le Jardin restaurant in Edgewater
• · Won litigation to open Admirals Walk to the public
• · Gained approval of the Edgewater Special Improvement District (SID)
• · Opened Liberty Harbor North in Jersey City to the public
• · Set-up and led the Walk the Walkway Walks
• · Established a working relationship with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to review all Waterfront Development Permits (WDPs) that affect the waterfront and established a review of the NJDEP Bulletin for relevant WDPs
• · WarnDEP was established, removing some of the enforcement burden from the Conservancy

A lot has happened since COVID restricted activities along the Waterfront.  The Walkway has grown with new Walkway segments completed in Edgewater, Hoboken, Jersey City and Bayonne. Walkers and vehicles can now proceed for over 15 miles between Port Liberte in Jersey City and the George Washington Bridge with only 6 limited "gaps" where walkers must divert to River Road.

The Conservancy has action plans in place to close each of these 6 gaps and also assist in the completion of the Walkway in Bayonne where large industrial facilities remain in the path of the Walkway.

Some of the action plans have required that the Conservancy initiate litigation against developers to allow public access via temporary walkways until a compliant Walkway is constructed. To date the courts have looked favorably on the Conservancy's actions.