Carteret, NJ

A former DuPont brownfield on Carteret's Arthur Kill shore is being converted into a ferry and public-recreation district. The borough broke ground in December 2025 on a four-story, 52,000-square-foot multimodal terminal expected to open by early 2028. Waterside docks and gangways were already complete at groundbreaking, while work continued on a 700-space parking area. Plans combine ferry operations with restaurants, retail, event rooms, offices, and connections for NJ Transit buses and borough jitneys, including service to Rahway and Woodbridge rail stations. The intended Manhattan ferry was still a future service in July 2026, not an established commuting option. Public use of the shoreline does not depend on the terminal's completion. Waterfront Park already has a fishing pier, mini golf, picnic and play areas, beach volleyball, bocce, and walking space beside a 185-slip municipal marina.

The 2026 marina season offers slip rentals, and a nearly completed Riverwalk was among the borough projects reported that February. Elsewhere, the Performing Arts & Events Center maintains a calendar of concerts, comedy, theater, and community programs, while annual outdoor gatherings occupy Civic Center Park; the July 2026 Latin Fest combined music, cultural dance, food, and fireworks. Carteret's 25,326 residents in 2020 represented a notably varied borough. Estimates covering 2020–2024 identified 34.2 percent of residents as Hispanic or Latino, 26.1 percent as Asian, 19.5 percent as Black, and 33.7 percent as foreign-born. Carteret Public Library supports everyday learning with weekday and Saturday hours, an events calendar, digital collections, and online resource access. A new public realm is forming around recreation, culture, and prospective transit on land once closed to residents.