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Blackwells Mills Causeway Project 

along the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway

Landscaping the Blackwells Mills Causeway


Inspired by Millstone Valley’s rare oasis of natural beauty and historic integrity, the Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition is working to preserve its rural charm, to improve areas along its way, and to enable visitors to discover the rich layers of history and nature underlying its visual appeal. The Blackwells Mills Causeway Project is focused on improving on the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway’s visual landscape. Utility pruning along our roadways often results in unfavorable vegetation health and negative visual conditions. This was particularity apparent on the Blackwells Mills Causeway. Recognizing the utility’s public safety mission, the most viable solution was to re-vegetate this portion of the Byway. The Causeway Project was launched in 2015 to meet our mutual goals. MVPC developed a partnership with PSE&G, Franklin & Montgomery Townships, the D&R State Park, the NJDOT, Somerset County, and Rutgers University.


The Blackwells Mills Causeway is approximately 3/10 mile in length. It is located between two other causeways: Amwell Road Causeway to the north and Griggstown Causeway to the south. The Six Mile Run Reservoir Trail is nearby. The Causeway is in the D&R Canal State Park, the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway, and Franklin Township's D&R Canal Historic District. It connects River Road, west of the Millstone River, with Canal Road, east of the D&R Canal. The causeways have parking areas for access to the towpath and Millstone River riverbank. There is a Zone A floodplain between these two waterways. The historic Blackwells Mills Bridge Tender's House is located at the intersection of Blackwells Mills and Canal Roads. It was built in the 1830s to house one of the D&R Canal bridge tenders.  In 1975, the D&R Canal State Park was designated. This 70-mile linear State Park is one of central New Jersey's most popular recreational corridors for canoeing, jogging, hiking, bicycling, fishing and horseback riding.

Developing the Landscape Plan

The Rutgers students presented their plans to the Causeway Project Partners at a spring 2017 event at Rutgers University. The plans were then displayed at a May 2017 Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition event at the Muletenders House in Griggstown. This was followed by a two-week exhibit at the D&R Canal State Park Headquarters at Mapleton, where local and state government officials viewed the exhibit. The exhibit was also displayed at the Franklin Township Municipal Building and at the Rutgers University Sustainable Raritan River Initiative Conference in June 2017. Continuing public notification of these activities and events, the MVPC issued a press release.

Rutgers University continued to support the project by assigning an independent study student to compile the designs into one final plan and to work to obtain the required approvals. The final plan was presented for approval to the D&R Canal Commission in September 2017. Final approvals were obtained in the fall of 2017 from the Causeway Project Partners, the D&R State Park, the MVPC Trustees, the D&R Canal Commission, the NJ Land Management Review, and the NJ State Historic Preservation Office.

Above: the plan used to landscape Blackwells Mills Causeway. The final plan drew from the best elements of the student designs, further historical research, feedback from government officials, and comments from the public. The plan was compiled by Rutgers student Barbara Walker, who testified at the the D&R Canal Commission meeting and worked to obtain other required approvals.

Planting the Causeway

Planting among existing trees 

Planting in the open field

The alee design

To finance the Causeway Project, an application was submitted and approved by the NJDOT’s Good Neighbor Funding Program. The Landscape Plan guides the implementation. It identifies the site work details, the trees, herbaceous vegetation, and seeding. In November 2017, approximately 100 trees were planted on the Causeway. These plantings include river birch, shagbark hickory, dogwoods and an allee of 19 maple trees. This allee design recreates one that once paralleled the Causeway.

Maintenance and Future Plans

Since the tree planting, there have been multiple flood events resulting in Causeway closures with standing water in the floodplain. Only a few of the trees did not survive and have been removed. All guides and stakes have been detached from the trees. Every year, the trees are becoming more established. The D&R State Park has been mowing and maintaining the site. Picnic tables are scattered about. Somerset County has been keeping the edge of the roadway clear of new growth.

At left: A 1915 road marker was revealed near the bridge going over the Millstone River. The vegetation around it was cleared and gravel added to surround and enhance it.


The next phase for the site is still in the works. In addition to the tree planting, the Good Neighbor funding also includes the costs of adding gravel to the side of the roadway where there is a drop-off; preparing the ground and planting the herbaceous vegetation and seeds; graveling the walkway to the towpath from the east parking area and marking it with a sign; and graveling both east and west parking areas.

Causeway Project Partners

PSE&G – Ingro Desvousges
D&R State Park – Patricia Kallesser, Stephanie Fox 
Montgomery Township – Ewa Zack 
Somerset County – Tom Boccino
MVPC – Suzanne Ochse, Barbara tenBroeke, Howard Dietzman  

Franklin Township – Ted Chase 
NJDOT – Cindy Bloom-Cronin, Paul Pospiech, Charles “Brian” Shankle 
Rutgers University – Prof. Holly Nelson, Prof. Christina Kaunzinger, Barbra Walker, student