North 40 Park
Hudson County, NJ
north of Gregg-Bayonne County Park

Directions:

On Newark Bay, north of Bayonne Park, south of Route 440, LeFante Highway/Route 169 and west of John F. Kennedy Boulevard

History:

The state acquired the waterfront property decades ago for the construction of the defunct Westside Highway project. Once the state decided to complete the highway on the eastern side of Bayonne instead, the land by Newark Bay became available for other uses.

2000  --  Mayor Doria negotiated the lease of the property for parkland in 2000. The New Jersey Department of Transportation owns the parkland and is leasing it to the City of Bayonne for a 99-year term.

Park development is continuing following the removal of chromium from a portion of the land.

2001 and 2003 --  Mayor and Assemblyman Joseph V. Doria, Jr. announced that Bayonne has been awarded a $450,000 grant in state transportation funds to build bike paths and install road signage in Bayonne. A large portion of the funding went to create a bike path in the so-called North 40 park being developed along Newark Bay.

2003  --   if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approves, by early next year, Bayonne hopes to start dredging part of the Newark Bay shoreline to help develop the "North 40" Park planned for the city's northwest corner.
("Dredging planned for 'North 40' park"; The Jersey Journal; November 20, 2003 http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N2335.NJ.com/B1192397.3;sz=100x35;ord=1372795332?)

The Park has recently been converted into a 32-acre waterfront park that will be a sanctuary for birds and have nature-walk trails and will be known as the Waterfront Park and Environmental Walkway.

Habitats:

bike path, bayside wetlands, and upland green space.

Trails:

A bike path will be created in the North 40 park that is being developed north of Gregg-Bayonne County Park, along Newark Bay. The bikeway will continue south by Stephen R. Gregg-Bayonne County Park, then down Kennedy Boulevard, and Avenue A, passing Bayonne High School and 16th Street Park to Bergen Point at the southern end of the city.

12/18/04.  The North 40 access was blocked off from the Stephen R. Gregg Park.  They are doing construction in the area.  I guess they are going to turn the marsh area into another nicely manicured urban park.  Dr. Patrick L. Cooney.

Source:

Doria Secures $450,000 in Third State Bikeway Grant; Nov. 20, 2003; http://www.bayonnenj.org/cgi-bin/news/news.cgi?news=360