Route 29 Reconstruction, Booklets and Park Exhibits
City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hunter Research provided a wide range of archaeological and cultural resource services to the New Jersey Department of Transportation in connection with the reconstruction of N.J. Route 29 along the Delaware River frontage in South Trenton in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Over the course of a multi-phased investigation in a riverfront setting, work entailed detailed background research, urban archaeological survey and data recovery, archaeological monitoring during construction, and an innovative program of public outreach that resulted in the publication of six booklets and a video, and the design of historic and archaeological interpretive elements within an urban waterfront park. In the case of this latter project component, the placement of the reconstructed Route 29 within a tunnel alongside the Delaware River led to the creation of an unusual history-themed park on the tunnel deck. This recreational amenity, completed in 2004 and known today as South River Walk Park, contains a range of history-themed exhibits that are largely based on the historical research and archaeological work undertaken in advance of the highway construction. Our firm collaborated on the park design, developed the content for the historic exhibits and oversaw their fabrication. Largely owing to the incorporation of history and archaeology into its design, the South River Walk Park project received an award for environmental excellence from the Federal Highway Administration. The park today is an integral part of the Trenton neighborhood of Lamberton, much cherished by local residents.