New Footbridge Reopens at Paterson Great Falls, Restoring Key Link for Visitors

The 100-foot-long bridge replaces a 1984 structure and features a concrete deck and galvanized steel structure with a specialized coating designed to match the historic 1896 bridge nearby.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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City officials in Paterson, New Jersey celebrated the completion and grand opening of a new pedestrian footbridge spanning the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. The new 100-foot-long bridge replaces a previous structure that had served millions of visitors over nearly four decades but was recently deemed at the end of its service life. The new bridge is two feet wider to improve pedestrian access and features a concrete deck and galvanized steel structure with a specialized coating designed to match the historic 1896 bridge nearby.

Why it matters

The reopening of the footbridge marks a significant milestone for the city and the national park, which is one of New Jersey's most visited landmarks. The bridge had been closed for more than three years, leaving a gap in the visitor experience. With surrounding development continuing, the city anticipates even higher visitation to the park in the coming years.

The details

The new bridge maintains the same orientation as the previous structure and uses the original abutments, while incorporating improved, accessible walkways and updated railings. The bridge was fabricated out of state, transported in two sections, and lifted into place by crane. The $1.4 million project was funded through federal grants from the American Rescue Plan and the National Park Service, with additional support from the Passaic County Historic Preservation and Open Space Trust Fund.

  • The previous bridge was closed more than three years ago, in August 2021.
  • The new bridge officially reopened on Thursday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Andre Sayegh

The mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, who described the Great Falls as 'New Jersey's Niagara Falls' and 'the birthplace of the American dream'.

Darren Boch

The Superintendent of the Great Falls National Historical Park, who said the city anticipates even higher visitation to the park in the coming years.

Gianfranco Archimede

The Director of the city's Historic Preservation, who noted that the new bridge marks the seventh pedestrian bridge installed over the falls since the first was built in 1828.

Frank R. Lautenberg

The late U.S. Senator who fought to secure the Great Falls' designation as a national park.

Bill Pascrell Jr.

The late U.S. Representative who also fought to secure the Great Falls' designation as a national park.

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What they’re saying

“This is Paterson's point of difference. And what I argue is this is the birthplace of the American dream.”

— Andre Sayegh, Mayor (tapinto.net)

“I asked AI this morning. I said, 'What is a river without a bridge?' And AI said, 'It's a heart without a beat.' Since August 25, 2021, this has been a river without a heartbeat because we did not have this bridge.”

— Darren Boch, Superintendent of the Great Falls National Historical Park (tapinto.net)

“The best part of my travel was being able to see these beautiful falls and to be able to feel them and hear them. I will be so thrilled to see that that is happening again, and that it will be open to everyone so that we can see the glorious roaring of these beautiful falls.”

— Nellie Pou, U.S. Representative (tapinto.net)

What’s next

The city anticipates even higher visitation to the Great Falls National Historical Park in the coming years as surrounding development continues.

The takeaway

The reopening of the footbridge at the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park represents a significant milestone for the city, restoring a key connection for the hundreds of thousands of visitors the park welcomes each year and supporting the local economy through increased tourism.