Bergen Point's waterfront at the bottom of the peninsula has been rebuilt in stages since 2017, and the stages run in a line. The first money came from the Bayonne Bridge project, and the first phase of work began near the bridge. The next phases moved along the Kill Van Kull. The last planned stretch of shoreline work ends at Brady's Dock, which city officials now hope will be the next upgrade. Walk from the bridge to the dock on a November weekend and you see the work in the order it was done.
Start at the bridge, where the money came from
When the Port Authority raised the Bayonne Bridge roadway, it pledged $2 million to Bayonne for improvements nearby as part of its "Raise the Roadway" project. In August 2017, nj.com reported that the City Council approved a $1,719,675 contract with Picerno-Giordano Construction for Collins Park. The Port Authority paid for that work, and the council approved it at a special meeting.
The same report says the work would happen in phases, "with the first phase starting near the Bayonne Bridge and working toward Gorman Field." That's the reason to start the walk on the bridge.
According to the Port Authority, the bridge has a 12-foot mixed-use path with ramps on both sides of the Kill Van Kull. It's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Bayonne entrance is on John F. Kennedy Boulevard between West 6th and West 7th Streets. The Staten Island end is on Trantor Place, south of Innis Street. Pedestrians have the right of way, cyclists are asked to ride slowly, and the path is wheelchair accessible all year except during temporary closures for weather or maintenance. In November, wind and icy mornings make those closure notices more likely, so check before you go if the bridge is the point of your trip.
From the deck you can see the whole stretch of shoreline the bridge money set in motion. Then go back down to Bayonne and head for the water.
Collins Park, phase by phase
Dennis P. Collins Park sits along the southernmost edge of the city. It's named for former Mayor Dennis Collins, who won four elections, in 1974, 1978, 1982 and 1986. Before that he served on the City Council from 1962 to 1974.
The park looks different depending on which phase you're standing in. Here are the phases in order:
| Phase | What the plan called for | What the record shows |
|---|---|---|
| First phase, approved 2017 | New playground and exercise equipment, the park's two dog parks combined into one with better surfacing and fountains, resurfaced tennis courts, a new volleyball court | $1,719,675 contract paid for by the Port Authority's bridge pledge; the old bike park was removed |
| Phase Two | Hockey rink, elevated seating area, children's playgrounds, basketball courts, exercise and training area, large gazebo | Playground area reopened in 2022; the renovations won a New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers award in late 2024 |
| Phase III, approved for bidding in 2024 | New playground equipment, rebuilt bocce court, realigned paths, shoreline stabilization from Avenue C to Brady's Dock | The April 17, 2024 council agenda listed two bids and a proposed $415,730 contract award |
TAPinto Bayonne reported that Phase Two was the hard part. It required cleaning up contaminated soil and extensive erosion work. The paper described the third phase as mostly cosmetic. Tom Cotter, Bayonne's Director of Public Works, told TAPinto at the time that the city hoped to start that work by July 2024. The bids and proposed award appear on the city's April 17, 2024 council agenda.
The changes show up in who uses the park. In a March 2025 TAPinto Bayonne story, First Ward Councilman Neil Carroll described the old pattern. "Kids from the neighborhood used to go there until they were old enough to go hang out at the 16th Street Park," he said. After the renovation, he said, "Now, people from throughout Bayonne go there. It has become a destination." The paper reported that the playground parking lot was full on a weekday afternoon in late February. Carroll also told TAPinto that the playground equipment is two stories high.
The city's Division of Parks page lists restrooms, walking paths, benches, playgrounds, basketball courts, baseball fields, a spray park, a bocce court, a fishing pier, veterans memorials and parking. The spray park is closed for the season by November, but these parts of the park work year-round:
- Two dog parks, behind the Pony League and Little League fields. The Sgt. Vincent J. Oliva Mini Dog Park is for small dogs. The Sirius Dog Park is for large dogs and has a teeter totter, a "Rover Jump Over" and a King of the Hill mound. Both have synthetic turf, a grooming table and a drinking fountain.
- The skate park, a Spohn Ranch design with a precast concrete structure, rails, ramps, ledges and vertical walls.
- The fishing pier and the veterans memorials, both along the shore.
The stretch toward Brady's Dock
Brady's Dock is where the Phase III shoreline stabilization was planned to end. It's also the one place on this walk that hasn't had its own renovation.
On August 31, TAPinto Bayonne asked whether Brady's Dock is next. The paper reported that city officials hope it will be the next upgrade, continuing the improvements that changed Collins Park over the past several years. The article gives no budget, design or schedule.
The same story describes what the dock is today and what it used to be. Anglers and picnickers use it most now, but it was once the center of a busy maritime community. TAPinto also reported that the city once tried to bring ferry service back here. The city has since shifted its ferry plans to the former Military Ocean Terminal. Supporters think that site is a better fit because of the number of new residents there. The story also places the area in the short-lived 1989 sitcom "Annie McGuire," in which Mary Tyler Moore's character lived in Bayonne and traveled to Manhattan for work.
With the ferry plans gone and no renovation yet, the dock is mostly used for fishing and sitting by the water. The Bayonne Bridge is in view behind you.
Up the hill to lower Broadway
Bergen Point's shopping street is a few blocks up from the water. On August 24, TAPinto Bayonne reported that the blocks around 172A Broadway include a café, a bookstore and a number of restaurants. Three places to stop:
- Bloomtastic Creations, 172A Broadway. Owner Mary Jasielryan moved her flower shop from midtown Broadway and held a grand reopening on August 20. She told TAPinto she has been arranging flowers for nearly 40 years, seven of them at the old midtown shop. When that building was sold, she moved to a part of the city she described as known for its laid-back feel. The shop's website is selling fall arrangements, including one called "Fall Harvest."
- La Branche Café & Bistro, 194 Broadway. The bistro's website calls its location "Historic Bergen Point." It serves crepes, seafood, arepas and brunch, offers indoor and outdoor seating and live music, and is BYOB. Its menu includes gluten-free options, and you can order online for pickup or delivery. The site lists more than one set of hours, so check before a brunch trip.
- Union Grounds Coffee House, 199 Broadway. Across the street from La Branche. Bayonne Pulse profiled the owners, William and Gabriella, a couple who met in a coffee shop and then opened their own. The profile lists the café as closed Mondays, with pop-ups Thursday through Saturday and Uno on Saturdays. Check the café's Instagram for current hours before you go.
In the same profile, the owners named their own favorite nearby spots: CJ's Ice, Giovanni's Sandwiches and Pizza Masters.
If you want to keep walking north on Broadway, Prime Caribbean Restaurant is at 369 Broadway near 17th Street. TAPinto Bayonne reported in August that it held a ribbon cutting on August 20, about three months after it opened.
The team at Elite NJ follows changes along Bayonne's waterfront, from Collins Park to whatever comes next at Brady's Dock. If you own in Bergen Point and want to talk about what these blocks are worth today, Contact Us.
