I-78 Scenic Byway Proposal

Route 78 Scenic Byway application submitted

Published: Jan 8th, 6:53 AM

LEBANON - The I-78 Corridor Historic and Scenic Byway Alliance has completed and submitted its proposal to designate a portion of Interstate 78 as a New Jersey Historic and Scenic Byway.

The application has been delivered to Cindy Bloom-Cronin, the state Department of Transportation’s Scenic Byway Coordinator, according to Mark Paradis, a member of the alliance and mayor of Lebanon.

The proposed designation begins at milepost 3.27 on the Pohatcong/Alpha border in Warren County and stretches through Hunterdon County to milepost 27.65 in Bedminster Township, Somerset County.

The idea for the proposal originated in Lebanon Borough, and the formal application is the culmination of monthly meetings since April of this year with participation from local municipal officials, planning board members, area residents with engineering and historical committee backgrounds, as well as many volunteers from across the United States with experience in compiling documentation in support of historic and scenic byways, said Paradis.

Information about the intrinsic qualities unique to this part of the state and the compelling story in the proposal included highlighting features in the many towns along the byway. Mentioned were scenic attributes including the Delaware River Valley, preserved farmland, Round Valley and the Musconetcong Mountain, which is New Jersey’s “Continental Divide”. This mountain summit is the dividing line for water flowing west to the Delaware River Basin, or east into the Raritan or Passaic Basins.

Many included photographs depicted the seasonal beauty of the mature hardwood forest adjoining the byway, and descriptions of the important historic roots of the proposed trail including the original Native American trade route, the railroads significance to the area for transporting agriculture, products made to support the implements for the Revolutionary War from area ore mining, and items made in the many mill towns along the Raritan River.

The area’s array of cultural and recreational attributes were also shared, including the New Jersey Festival Of Ballooning, wonderful Colonial and Victorian architecture, Lindbergh trial history, vineyards, arts and antiques, and the many working farms and farmers markets, said Paradis.

If adopted, the I-78 Corridor Historic and Scenic Byway will help encourage tourism, engender local pride and participation, support the economic well being of the surrounding communities, and preserve the unique historic and cultural features of this area for future generations, said Paradis.

The alliance proposal has received support from the freeholder boards in Hunterdon, Warren and Somerset counties, along with several towns along the Route 78 corridor in those three counties.

The proposal has received support from the following municipalities in Hunterdon County: Bethlehem Township, Bloomsbury, Clinton, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Readington Township, Tewksbury Township and Union Township.

More information on the alliance and the final presentation can be found at www.lebanonboro.com/scenicbyway