HOWELL – A resident of Howell and a resident of a nearby municipality have voiced support for a section of the Capital to Coast Trail that could eventually run through the municipality.
The Capital to Coast Trail is a 55-mile cross-state multi-use trail network that is designed to span New Jersey, west to east, from the Delaware River in Trenton to Manasquan on the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaking at the Oct. 17 meeting of the Howell Township Council, Director of Community Development Jim Herrman said he has submitted a $900,000 grant application to the state Department of Transportation’s Bikeway Grant Program.
“The construction cost was estimated at about $823,000 and we put in the rest for construction administration,” Herrman said.
He said the planned route in Howell would cross Oak Glen Park, Bear Swamp, Maxim Road and Soldier Memorial Park.
The Capital to Coast Trail is “a non-motorized multi-use trail network, so it is not all paved. We will have some paved areas, probably near the intersections of Route 547 (and) potentially around Maxim Road, but other than that it is proposed to be a majority of a quarry dust trail so we can have multi-uses, including horses,” Herrman said.
Peter Hagemeyer, the chairman of the Capital to Coast Trail, explained that the trail is designed for non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles, and pedestrians, runners, children, people pushing strollers, equestrians and horses.
He said the trail was the idea of a Manasquan Borough Council member about 13 years ago. The initial 7.5-mile trail links the Manasquan beach with Allaire State Park in Wall Township.
“We are looking at 55 to 60 miles that cut across the state,” Hagemeyer said, adding that he rides the trail each day.
“When I ride through Manasquan, I see kids from the high school leaving the school and walking up the trail to go to the tennis courts. In the summer I see families and people walking the trail, riding on it, carrying surfboards.
“I see horses on it in the fall through Allaire State Park. These trails have been put together on paper, we have drafted agreements with local municipalities such as (Howell) and (we) have worked hard to help (towns) acquire funding,” Hagemeyer said.
Resident Bill Hitzel spoke in support of the plan and said, “I have lived in Howell for 47 years and anyone who has been in the township for any length of time can understand how the population and traffic have increased in recent years.
“Years ago I used to be able to go out on the roads with my daughters and my wife riding bicycles in relative safety. These days with the increase in population and traffic it is impossible even as an adult to go out on local roads,” Hitzel said.
He said he believes the Capital to Coast Trail could be an asset to Howell.
Andrea Brennan of Manasquan grew up in Howell and is Hitzel’s daughter. She said she is excited Howell officials are applying for a grant that could advance the Capital to Coast Trail.
“Growing up in Howell, at least once each summer we would ride from Howell to Manasquan and it was always very exciting when we got on the portion of the bike path that was paved in Manasquan because we did not have to worry about cars and it was a lot of fun,” Brennan said.
