Barnegat Branch Trail Explained

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

The trail occupies a 15.6miles abandoned rail corridor in Ocean County, New Jersey, thatextends from Barnegat Townshipto 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 1.9miles segment of the trail right-of-way has been the focus of an ongoing battle to build a bypass roadfor 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]

External links

• Barnegat Branch Trail Website
• archive Official Trail planning web site
• Ocean County Dept. of Planning
• Ocean County Parks
• Affiliate web site

39.7579°N -74.2386°W

Notes and References

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