BY STEVE KELMAN
CORRESPONDENT
CRESSKILL, N.J.—The Cresskill Mayor and Council were recently presented with an update on the proposed Northern Valley Greenway.
The greenway, actually a rail to trail, is a proposal to replace 7.4 miles of unused railroad located within the boroughs of Tenafly, Cresskill, Closter, Demarest, Norwood, and Northvale.
Once complete the path would join a Rockland County, New York section and proceed north from Tappan to Nyack.
Three representatives from the group advocating for the greenway attended the Oct. 2 public meeting and presented the governing body with a presentation on the greenway plan.
Two alternatives are being considered for the greenway’s overall design. One is a shared use path while the second alternative would create separate speeds paths, one for walkers, one for cyclists and one for joggers.
Under the plan two varying corridor widths, a limited construction width of less than 60 feet of path and a full construction width of 60 feet of path are being considered for the greenway’s pathway. Cresskill would have both with some sections of the path having the limited construction width and others having the full corridor width of 60 feet of path. The presentation suggested that the full length “would be applied for robust activity zones around the downtown.”
Mayor Benedict Romeo said the 60-foot-width path, “could work on the southern end of town near Tenafly.”
“But it would be a little too narrow for the northern part,” he said. “And now we will have to wait to see if they can secure the funding.”
Romeo called the presentation, “professional and informative.”
The mayor also said he had concerns regarding, “the two [rail road] crossings at Madison and Union Avenues,” as to how they would impact the pathway.
As per questions regarding when the greenway/pathway would be completed, “design, engineering and construction timelines are dependent on approved funding, permitting, and resource availability,” this according to wording in the presentation.
Borough officials said it could be years before construction of the greenway begins.