OCEAN COUNTY – The county continues its work on the Barnegat Branch Trail, which will eventually connect Barnegat to Toms River via the existing old right of way of the former Barnegat Branch Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders will formally seek bids for work at the Cedar Creek June 20, at its regular board meeting.
The work includes a half-mile section that extends from South Street at Hebrew Park to the Cedar Creek, providing a connection to an existing 2.75 mile trail from Dudley Park at the Cedar Creek to Hickory Lane in Berkeley.
Wood from the aging trestle over Cedar Creek will be used for interpretive displays that highlight the history of the rail line. Some of the pilings and abutments from the aging trestle also will remain in place to keep the historical look.
A new 150-foot prefab bridge will be built over Cedar Creek. The trail will be a 10-foot-wide stone dust path, as it is in other areas of the trail.
A 12-parking-space lot will be built near South Street, and a separate crossing lane over the trail will be provided for an existing canoe drop off and pick up on the Lacey Township side.
This portion of the project should be completed in early 2019.
