Interesting stories about this proposed Bike Trail.
First the pictures keep showing the long OOS, DB Swing Bridge that has a very low vertical clearance. As mentioned in an earlier post, the trail is not supposed to use that bridge. In face t it the trail was to use DB that would make a very expensive trail to develop and operate. DB would have to be either rehabbed, or replaced, and would still have to open for marine traffic, a very expensive proposition to say the least.
Even if DB was not part of the trail you have several other issues facing this potential trail, the first being WR bridge. WR has a high vertical clearance that has allowed it to stay in the closed position, but that bridge is in horrible shape and has been even when it was last used by NJT (NJT was able to operate it's trains on an exception basis with a 10 mph speed limit). Rehabbing WR would be a major, expensive project, far more than just placing new decking for walkers and bikers. WR has also become a favorite for "urban explorer" photographers, and the more recent pictures sent in (2019) show the further deterioration of the ties, the structure itself, and an interesting note is that the CWR has been cut in the areas where the swing portion of the bridge aligns. I wonder if this was done to see if the bridge could be moved into the open position which leads to the next issue....
In the pictures documented in 2019, it was well noted that if you elect to traverse this bridge, have ID ready, as you will be greeted by the Kearny Police. Residents of Kearny will call the police upon viewing anyone walking on the bridge. A fence was erected on the Newark side, but lets get real that is not keeping anyone from the bridge. Sometimes when people here North Newark, they think of one of Newark's finest neighborhoods, Forest Hill. Forest Hill is but a small section of North Newark, and is no where near this trail. The section of North Newark that the line runs through has been challenged for a long time now, (and still is). NJT discontinued the North Newark stop some 10 or so years before the lower Boonton was dropped as ridership tumbled over safety concerns at that station. So the cost issue comes up again as security would be a huge issue along this section of the trail.
Needless to say there are a number of issues facing this trail, and none of them have been addressed yet.
Ken