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Rehabilitation of Stoney Ridge Trail Completed

Newark, NJ –The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) joined the National Park Service recently at the Great Falls in Paterson to announce that the rehabilitation of the Stoney Ridge Trail had been completed. The wooded .6 mile walking trail begins near the foot of the Great Falls and meanders its way along the old Morris Canal route and around the city’s historic mill area. It ultimately winds its way through Upper Raceway Park and ends at the Lou Costello swimming pool, which is situated above the falls. 

 

This announcement also included an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The other partners in this project who will be attending include: the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Federal Highway Administration, the Great Falls Youth Corps, the New Jersey Youth Corps, and Paterson’s Department of Public Works.

 

The trail was a cobblestone road that was constructed in 1796 by the Essex County Road Commissioners (the area which would become Paterson in 1837 was part of Essex County at the time). Throughout the second half of the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century, the trail served as the primary route to access the city’s mills, factories, and plants. Since then, the trail has been used to explore the area around the Great Falls and the historic mill area. Over the years, the vegetation along the trail became badly overgrown, rendering it practically un-traversable.

 

The PVSC River Restoration Department cleared the way for a wide nature trail and constructed a handrail along the route. At the ceremony, the National Park Service honored PVSC with a prestigious Environmental Achievement Plaque. Since its creation in 1998, PVSC’s award-winning River Restoration Program has been charged with preserving and protecting over 100 miles of area waterways. Rehabilitating the Stoney Brook Trail goes a long way in making sure that the shoreline along the Passaic River and near the falls is protected.   

 

Below are pictures from the ceremony.

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