PHOTO RELEASE:
October 10, 2025
CONTACT:
Derek Sands
DSands@BergenCountyNJ.gov
CARLTON HILL GREENWAY & NEW ATHLETIC COMPLEX ADVANCE TO EXPAND RECREATION IN SOUTHERN BERGEN COUNTY
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Yesterday on Thursday October 10th, East Rutherford officials, in partnership with Bergen County and state leadership, announced the next steps in the development of the Carlton Hill Greenway and the planned Lois Lane Athletic Complex.
Local officials in attendance included Congresswoman Nellie Pou, State Senator Paul Sarlo, Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, County Commissioners Mary Amoroso, Germaine Ortiz, Tom Sullivan, Joan Voss, and Tracy Zur, East Rutherford Mayor Jeff Lahullier, Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato, and East Rutherford Councilmembers George Cronk, Michael Lorusso, Jason Bulger, Jesse DeRosa, and Antonio Segalini.
The Carlton Hill Greenway will transform a long-abandoned rail corridor connecting East Rutherford and Rutherford into a new, 1.2-mile linear park—expanding open space and linking southern Bergen County neighborhoods to the Passaic River. The County has awarded a professional services contract to Boswell Engineering to conduct design work on the Greenway, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027.
Adjacent to the future Greenway, the Lois Lane Athletic Complex will create additional recreational opportunities for local residents and complement the County’s planned park. The project has received $5,500,000.00 in state budget appropriations from the State of New Jersey through the efforts of Senator Paul Sarlo and Assemblymembers Gary Schaer and Clinton Calabrese who represent East Rutherford in the State Legislature.
To further assist the project, the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Committee has recommended an additional $450,000 in 2025 Open Space funding to help move the Lois Lane Athletic Fields project forward. The Bergen County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the full 2025 allotment of Open Space funds next month.
Together, both projects will enhance access to outdoor space, bolster recreation, and advance the goals established in the 2019 Bergen County Parks Master Plan, which called for expanding park access, particularly in southern Bergen County where open land is limited.
“The Carlton Hill Greenway represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reclaim and revitalize open space in one of the most densely populated parts of Bergen County,” said County Executive Jim Tedesco. “Our 2019 Parks Master Plan made clear that southern Bergen County needs more recreational and passive park space, and this project delivers on that vision. With Boswell Engineering now leading the design phase, we are taking an important step toward creating a new greenway that will link communities, promote outdoor activity, and serve families for generations to come.”
“This was a no-brainer for my colleagues in the Legislature,” said Senator Paul Sarlo, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “In a strong bipartisan way, we came together to deliver real funding for this project – $5,500,000.00 in state budget appropriations – that will transform a former industrial site into a recreational space that families will enjoy for generations to come. This is what happens when every level of government—state, county, and local—works together with one shared goal: to invest in our communities and improve quality of life.”
“I was proud to help secure State funding that supports making the Lois Lane Athletic Fields a reality,” said Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese. “This initiative creates valuable recreational space in one of Bergen County’s most densely populated areas and fulfills the vision behind the Carlton Hill Greenway. The result shows what State, county, and local leaders can achieve when we work together: healthier, more connected communities and an improved quality of life for residents.”
“We’ve been working for years to put this property to good use, and today marks a major step forward,” said Mayor Jeff Lahullier. “The Lois Lane Athletic Complex will give East Rutherford families more places to play and gather, and it will tie directly into the County’s Greenway project, connecting us with Rutherford and the Passaic River. I want to thank County Executive Tedesco and the Board of Commissioners, Senator Sarlo, Assemblymen Calabrese and Schaer, and our Borough Council for making this happen.”
“The Carlton Hill Greenway is a visionary project that reimagines how open space can connect communities,” said Commissioner Chairwoman Mary Amoroso. “By pairing it with investments like the Lois Lane Athletic Complex, we’re creating new opportunities for recreation in areas that have long needed it. The County’s Open Space Trust Fund continues to be one of our strongest tools for making these kinds of transformative, community-driven projects possible.”
A full recording of the press conference can be viewed on County Executive Tedesco’s Facebook page.
Background on the Carlton Hill Greenway
The Carlton Hill Greenway project began in November 2022, when Bergen County partnered with the Open Space Institute (OSI) to acquire a 1.2-mile stretch of former Norfolk Southern Railway property linking Rutherford and East Rutherford. The $1.9 million acquisition was funded by Bergen County and NJDEP Green Acres funding.
The property—long eyed for conservation—will ultimately form an 11-acre linear park connecting to Rutherford’s Memorial Park and East Rutherford’s future Lois Lane Athletic Complex.
###