Barnegat Branch Trail

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Barnegat Branch Rail-Trail. BarnegatBranchTrailMap.jpg
Barnegat Branch Rail-Trail.

The Barnegat Branch Trail is a rail trail in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Contents

The trail occupies a 15.6-mile (25.1 km) abandoned rail corridor in Ocean County, New Jersey, that extends from Barnegat Township to Toms River. [1] The trail was built on the former Barnegat Branch Division roadbed of the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ). The bankrupt CNJ was absorbed into Conrail in 1976, who terminated freight service the following year. [2]

Controversy

A 1.9-mile (3.1 km) segment of the trail right-of-way has been the focus of an ongoing battle to build a bypass road for Route 9. Lacey Township officials are proposing a shared road-walkway for this section of the trail. [3] After legal battle, it was ruled that the town could use the trail for a roadway. [4]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean County, New Jersey</span> County in New Jersey, United States

Ocean County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its county seat is Toms River. The county is part of the Jersey Shore and is considered part of the Central Jersey region of the state, though it was not among the four counties explicitly listed as included in Central Jersey as part of legislation signed into law in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jersey Route 37</span> State highway in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Route 37 is a state highway located in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The route runs 13.43 mi (21.61 km) from a traffic circle with Route 70 in Lakehurst east to an interchange with Route 35 in Seaside Heights. A two– to six–lane divided highway its entire length, Route 37 serves as the major east–west route through the Toms River area as well as a main route to the Barnegat Peninsula, crossing the Barnegat Bay on the Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges. The route through Toms River Township is lined with many businesses and named Little League World Champions Boulevard in honor of Toms River East Little League's victory in the 1998 Little League World Series. Route 37 intersects many major roads in the Toms River area, including County Route 527 (CR 527), the Garden State Parkway/U.S. Route 9 (US 9), Route 166, CR 549, and CR 571. The route experiences congestion from both development in the area and from traffic bound for the barrier islands in the summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Township, New Jersey</span> Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Barnegat Township is a township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,296, the highest ever count at a decennial census and an increase of 3,360 (+16.0%) from the 2010 census count of 20,936, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,666 (+37.1%) from the 15,270 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Light, New Jersey</span> Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Barnegat Light is a borough in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 640, an increase of 66 (+11.5%) from the 2010 census count of 574, which in turn reflected a decline of 190 (−24.9%) from the 764 counted in the 2000 census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island and is home to Barnegat Lighthouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacey Township, New Jersey</span> Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Lacey Township is a township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is considered part of the Jersey Shore and South Jersey regions, as well as of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 28,655, an increase of 1,011 (+3.7%) from the 2010 census count of 27,644, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,298 (+9.1%) from the 25,346 counted in the 2000 census. The 2010 population was the highest recorded in any decennial census. It was named for Continental Army General John Lacey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey</span> Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Ocean Township is a township located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 8,835, its largest ever decennial count and an increase of 503 (+6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 8,332, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,882 (+29.2%) from the 6,450 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toms River</span> Freshwater river and estuary in New Jersey, US

The Toms River is a 41.7-mile-long (67.1 km) freshwater river and estuary in Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Beach Island</span> Barrier island in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

Long Beach Island is a barrier island and summer colony along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, on the Jersey Shore. Aligned north to south, the northern portion generally has more expensive low-density housing, whereas the southern portion possesses higher-density housing and considerable commercial development. Long Beach Island is 1-2 miles away from Mainland New Jersey. The primary industries include tourism, fishing, and real estate. The only access point to the island by land is a single causeway. The island is the southernmost point of the New York Metropolitan Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metedeconk River</span> River

The Metedeconk River is a tributary of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States.

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The High Bridge Branch is a branch line that was operated by the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ). As built, the branch started in High Bridge, New Jersey at a connection with the CNJ main line and continued north to iron-ore mines in Morris County. The High Bridge Branch line followed the South Branch of the Raritan River for much of its duration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Peninsula</span>

The Barnegat Peninsula, also known as the Island Beach Peninsula or Barnegat Bay Island and colloquially as "the barrier island", is a 20-mile (32 km) long, narrow barrier peninsula located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, that divides the Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. It is a vacation destination and summer colony area and is heavily dependent on tourism, real estate and fishing.

The Toms River Railroad was a railroad in Ocean County, New Jersey, established in 1866 with a stop at the county seat of Toms River, New Jersey. The line was extended to Waretown in 1872 by the Toms River & Waretown Railroad. In 1881 the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) purchased the line and in 1893 the property was transferred to the Toms River & Barnegat Railroad (TR&B) at that time the branch was extended to Barnegat. In 1893, TR&B acquired ownership of the property, and service continued under CNJ.

The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route extends along eastern and southern coast of New Jersey for nearly 300 miles (480 km). It travels along the Raritan Bay from Perth Amboy to Sandy Hook, along Jersey Shore at the Atlantic Ocean to Cape May, and along the Delaware Bay to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The trail encompasses a variety of New Jersey state parks along with facilities under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jersey Southern Railroad</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuckerton Railroad</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoffmans, New Jersey</span> Populated place in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, US

Hoffmans, also known as Hoffman's Crossing, is an unincorporated community located along Hoffman's Crossing Road and the South Branch Raritan River within Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Califon. The main road in the community is County Route 513. The Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission (HCESC) has a campus here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line</span> Proposed New Jersey Transit rail line

The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line (MOM) is a passenger rail project in the US state of New Jersey, proposed by NJ Transit Rail Operations (NJT) to serve the Central New Jersey counties of Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex. The line would originate/terminate around Lakehurst at its southern end. It would junction with either the Northeast Corridor Line or North Jersey Coast Line to provide service north to Newark Penn Station, with potential connecting or continuing service to Hoboken Terminal or New York Penn Station.

References

  1. "Work To Begin On 15-Mile Trail From Toms River To Barnegat". Berkeley Times. 2007-09-19.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. Bennett, Don (2007-08-01). "OFFICIALS UNVEIL RAILTRAILPARK PLAN PRICE TAG WILL BE AT LEAST $9.4M". Ocean County Observer.
  3. "Rail trail construction proceeding". Asbury Park Press. 2008-10-05.
  4. "Shore town can build road on rail trail, court rules". 30 March 2017.

39°45′28″N74°14′19″W / 39.757879°N 74.238567°W / 39.757879; -74.238567