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 Major renovations continue to the Rahway Fairy Trail in South Mountain Reservation as part of a $1.2 million project funded by a NJ Green Acres grant and Essex County's Open Space Trust Fund. During this time, the Locust Grove parking lot will be closed and the Fairy Trail will be inaccessible. Renovations to the River Trail which started mid-June are generally complete.
Planned by the County Parks Department in consultation with the South Mountain Conservancy, this project will enhance the experience of Fairy Trail visitors. It will improve the Locust Grove parking area with a delineated turnaround area and a sidewalk to allow safe passage from Glen Avenue. On the trail itself, there will be improved paths and drainage, rustic benches, and a six-sided shelter at the high point of the trail to be fully installed in September.
The work on most of the River Trail is for better access for medical and fire emergency vehicles. This is part of a long-term Conservancy safety plan involving multiple woods roads throughout the reservation. The Conservancy is working with the County and contractors to ensure that the improvements are sustainable given erosion caused by recent heavy rains.
During the construction period, access to the Lenape and Swampy trailheads from Locust Grove (but not the southern portion of the Rahway) is possible using a detour created by the Conservancy starting at Glen Ave. Look for the signs and yellow ribbon.
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The project will be overseen by the Essex County Parks and Public Works Departments along with the Conservancy. Design work was developed by Suburban Consulting Engineers of Flanders, NJ, and construction will be done by Picerno-Giordano Construction of Kenilworth, NJ.
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