Camden County LINK Trail Gets $13.6M Federal Boost, Set To Finish by December

Work started on a 1-mile stretch of the Camden County LINK Trail. It runs from Merchant Street in Audubon to Station Avenue in Haddon Heights. Officials cut the ribbon on a $3 million piece back on March 6. Crews should wrap things up sometime around late 2026.

Congressman Donald Norcross pulled in $13.6 million from Washington through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Money like this keeps projects moving. "This project will connect communities, support local businesses, and give families more opportunities to walk, run, and bike outdoors," he said.

The trail stretches 34 miles when finished. It's a path for bikes, runners, and walkers that links the Ben Franklin Bridge to Winslow Township. Think of it as one piece in a much bigger puzzle — the 850-mile Circuit Trails Network that spreads across Philadelphia and South Jersey.

County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash marked March 6 as a big day. Ten years of planning, meetings, and chasing dollars led to this moment. "The LINK Trail will provide residents throughout Camden County with access to passive recreation, and enable them a safe and scenic path to walk, bike or run throughout our beautiful county," said Nash, according to South Jersey Media.

The path follows an old freight line — the Conrail Beesley's Point Secondary Line. Workers are converting that corridor into something people can use. They're laying down porous asphalt, which lets rainwater seep straight through instead of washing away topsoil and causing floods.

Justin Dennis chairs the Circuit Trails Coalition. He also runs programs in New Jersey for Trust for Public Land. Dennis thinks this trail matters. "The Camden County LINK Trail will serve as a crucial spine within the Circuit Trails network, linking New Jersey downtowns to the Ben Franklin Bridge and into Philadelphia," Dennis said.

Towns, suburbs, and farmland — the trail cuts through all three. It connects municipal parks, county green spaces, and downtown shopping areas. Planners dream bigger, though: a 105-mile route from Camden all the way down to Cape May.

Assemblymen Bill Spearman and Bill Moen put out a statement together. They like what the trail brings to their districts. "This transformative project will connect our neighborhoods, promote a healthier lifestyle, and deliver economic benefits to residents and business owners alike," the statement said.

Audubon Mayor Rob Jakubowski can't wait. Residents will get new ways to stay active outdoors, plus a walking route to Haddon Heights and other towns. Over in Haddon Heights, Mayor Zach Houck pointed out how students and parents heading to Atlantic Avenue Elementary School will use it daily.

Once done, this trail becomes part of something much larger — a web of paths spreading through nine counties on both sides of the Delaware River.