A resolution was passed by the Union County Freeholders to allow Union County to use the Rahway Valley Railroad right of way as a rail trail.
THE CITY OF SUMMIT N E W J E R S E Y CITY HALL 512 SPRINGFIELD AVENUE SUMMIT, NJ 07901
News R e l e a s e December 19, 2017 For immediate release Summit Mayor: Nora G. Radest (908) 273-6400 City Administrator: Michael F. Rogers (908) 522-3600 Media Contact: Amy Cairns (908) 277-9418 Union County Freeholders Passes Resolution Authorizing Rail Trail Use SUMMIT, N.J., December 19, 2017 –
The City of Summit is announcing that the Union County Freeholders, at its December 7 meeting, passed a resolution with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), allowing Union County to use the Rahway Valley Railroad (RVRR) right of way as a rail trail, amending a previous agreement from June 2000. When it was operating, the RVRR served Summit, Springfield, Union, Kenilworth, Roselle Park, and Maplewood. The Summit Park Line plan was introduced by the Summit Park Line Foundation, a 501(c) (3) organization, and approved by Summit Common Council. It was included in the city’s 2016 Master Plan ReVision by the Planning Board. The concept of the Park Line is to use a section of the RVRR abandoned rail line to create a public park in Summit. Phase one of the Park Line was completed in November 2017, and the long-term hope of the Summit Park Line Foundation is to connect downtown Summit to Briant Park and beyond to the East Coast Greenway, a rail trail that runs from Maine to Florida. Union County Freeholder Angel Estrada reports, “This is a great project for Summit and the county. I have been enthusiastic about it from the start.” Freeholder Alexander Mirabella says, “I am impressed with the progress that has been made since I visited the site two years ago. This is a great addition to Summit.” The Summit Park Line Foundation recently received a $35,000 grant from the Summit Area Public Foundation (SAPF). The funds will be used towards the expansion of the Park Line in sections of the abandoned rail line throughout Summit. Foundation President and Common Councilmember Dr. Robert Rubino, explains, “We are looking forward to continuing progress on the Park Line, and we are eager to be able to share it with the Summit community. Once complete, it will be the first public park in Summit in over 80 years.”
For more information on the Summit Park Line, please visit summitparkline.org.
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