Urban park reconnects residents with waterfront and offers piece of history

South Riverwalk Park

Built on top of the Route 29 tunnel in Trenton, this urban park complements and enhances the tunnel project, lessens its impacts, provides streetscape improvements, offers access to the Delaware River waterfront, and improves the quality of life for the community’s residents.

The NJDOT engaged the community in planning this unique transportation amenity using the context sensitive design process. Even after consensus was reached to construct a four-lane tunnel, residents worried about losing their view of and access to the river. This concern resulted in the tunnel’s rooftop park, which has passive spaces with lawns, park paths, a pavilion, benches and a waterside pedestrian esplanade to the south, and two playgrounds, two pavilions, and an open space for public events to the north. These two regions are linked by a historic area reflecting Trenton’s prominent place in national history.

Innovative techniques used in the design and construction were based on the fact that we were required to build a full-featured park on three feet of soil or less. Plantings, foundations, utilities, and drainage design had to consider the severe lack of space and depth that would be normally available.