Inaugural Trenton Wellness Loop to make many connections

TRENTON, N.J. – At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Trenton Mayor

Reed Gusciora, City Council members, D&R Greenway and project partners announced a new Wellness Loop at Trenton Battle Monument.

This Wellness Loop for bikers or cyclists will connect the historic Trenton Battle Monument and the D&R Canal path with the other larger Circuit Trails in the State of New Jersey and beyond.

“This project has been planned for years and is finally on the ground,” says D&R Greenway Vice President, Jay Watson.

The new trail features on-street bike lane striping, signage and way finding through Trenton’s downtown. The City of Trenton and the Partnership for Healthy Kids created the design and Watson spearheaded the implementation.

“This is truly a dream come true,” Watson continues. “For nearly two decades, the State, Mercer County and the City of Trenton were looking for ways to complete trail connections along the D&R Canal and the Delaware River.”

Watson’s leadership brought the partners together.

“Building on our preservation work and close partnership with the City and Mercer County, we were able to bring D&R Greenway’s strategic know-how and efficiencies to the table to get this project done.”

As a result, the Trenton Wellness Loop is strategically and historically making connections.

The Loop starts at the Trenton Battlefield Monument, at an area known as “Five Points,” where the American artillery were placed during the Revolutionary War on Dec. 26, 1776, when the Americans gained victory at the first Battle of Trenton.

This Wellness Loop will connect to a larger trail segment that is in progress, and it will also reconnect the D&R Canal towpath through Trenton’s streets to another section of the D&R Canal in Hamilton Township.

“The D&R Canal State Park is one of the State’s most visited parks. Reconnecting this segment that runs through the Abbott Marshlands to the main trail system creates linkages to the Delaware River Heritage Trail and the Circuit Trail that is currently in creation,” says Olivia Glenn, director of parks and forestry for the NJDEP.

The Circuit Trail is a system of connected public trails in the Greater Philadelphia and South-Central New Jersey region. When it is completed, it will include 800 miles of multi-use paths for cyclists, walkers, runners, commuters and families for recreation and active transportation.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora looks forward to this improvement to the Capital City.

“I am very excited about these projects in our city, making bicycling safer for our residents and visitors,” says Mayor Gusciora.

“Many of Trenton’s residents move around our city by bicycle as their primary mode of transportation. Creating bike lanes to integrate them into the proper traffic patterns will serve to protect them and inform motorists to share the roadways,” he said.

Currently, the new bicycle lanes are along Warren and North Broad streets, and Assunpink Boulevard.

“The Wellness Loop is yet another way D&R Greenway is working to enhance the health of the Capital City,” says Watson.

“In addition to making the streets safer for Trenton’s many bicycling commuters, the Wellness Loop is a great way for families to spend time together outdoors, get a cardiovascular workout, see our preserves and reap the health benefits of nature,” he said.

D&R Greenway secured funding from the William Penn Foundation through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to bring this project to fruition.

— Follow Michelle Dryden on Twitter @Michelle_Dryden