Weehawken Township and Hartz Mountain officials had a groundbreaking ceremony at the site last week to announce the plans for the bike/pedestrian path.
"This unique facility provides a safe, practical means of serving the needs of bikers, walkers, and joggers," said Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner. "Development of Lincoln Harbor has gone hand-in-hand with enhancements the entire community can enjoy, and we are pleased to welcome the latest in a series of public amenities that not only expands our recreational options, but provides a practical benefit of linking the Light Rail with the NY Waterway ferry terminal."
The bike/pedestrian path was not part of the initial plans that were approved by the township for the three-facility, 430-unit complex that will be completed by 2008.
According to Hartz Mountain President and Chief Operations Officer Emanuel Stern, it was an added bonus.
Bonus!
"This walkway enhances everything about Lincoln Harbor," Stern said. "It adds to the lifestyle of the people who work here and the people who will live here. It's part of our responsibility to bring the community together, and this solves a lot of the long-term needs of the town."
The bike/pedestrian path will include a five-foot wide sidewalk, a five-foot wide area for landscaping, and an eight-foot bike path, spanning from the beginning of Baldwin Road all the way to 19th Street, directly adjacent to the Light Rail line and Lincoln Harbor Light Rail station.
A bike rack will be placed near the station in case commuters want to ride their bikes to the station. It will separate bike riders from the pedestrians and provide safety for both.
Alan Magrini, the vice-president of Hartz Mountain, said the entire project, funded entirely by Hartz at an estimated cost of $500,000, would take about six months to complete.
"We're making sure that the public has easy and safe access to Lincoln Harbor, to the light rail, and to the waterfront," Magrini said. "You can take a nice leisurely walk right to the light rail. It will make things so much easier. Right now, Lincoln Harbor is a nice place to work. This will be just another amenity to make it a great place to live."
Currently, Hartz Mountain is constructing a parking facility in its existing parking lot. Once the multi-tiered parking facility is completed, construction will begin on the residential units, 43 of which will be for low or moderate-income dwellers.
"This will bring everyone closer together," Stern said. "It costs some money, sure, but we feel it's the right thing to do, especially with the residential units coming in."
Continuous waterfront walkway
Turner said that both Hartz and Roseland Properties, the developer in charge of the Port Imperial complexes to the north of Lincoln Harbor, have been working together to insure there will be a continuous waterfront walkway from the West New York border to Hoboken.
"We're real close to reaching an agreement to connect with Hoboken," Turner said.
With construction now underway, Magrini said the project could be completed by the end of the year.
Post a Comment