After several years and little progress to speak of, the site of the former Bergenfield Auto Parts junkyard is now on the verge of being cleaned up.

At the same time, Historic New Bridge Landing Park officials are discussing plans to construct a visitors center on the 1.3-acre site — once it’s cleaned up — as well as building a new museum to house the collection belonging to the Bergen County Historic Society.

Kevin Wright, secretary for the Historic New Bridge Landing Park Commission, called the recent announcement by the state Department of Environmental Protection to clean up the site "a great triumph for the commission."

"It (the site) should be clean by December," he said.

Wright said the cost of the cleanup would not exceed the $1.1 million federal grant from the National Park Service that was provided through the efforts of then-Sen. Robert G. Torricelli in 2001.

Money from the acquisition was used to purchase the property in 2005. Wright said there was still funding that was left in escrow to fund the cleanup.

"No additional funds will be needed," he said.

Mike Trepicchio, chairman of the Historic New Bridge Landing Park Commission, called the developments "great exciting news."

"The DEP reported to us that the groundwater on the site is clean enough," he said, "but there were certain ‘hot spots’ with the soil."

He said a total of about 2,000 yards of soil will need to be removed.

Trepicchio said the state is looking to begin the cleanup soon, and was informed that it will be finished by either by the end of 2007 or by spring 2008 "at the very latest."

"The commission wants to push the DEP to move quicker on this, considering that it is only 2,000 yards of soil," he said, "and, from what I understand, this is nothing dramatic."

Testing the site for contaminants has been a long on-again, off-again process going back to April 2004.

Trepicchio said that once the site is cleaned up, "We will be left with a field that can be built on."

And build is what they hope to do.

Trepicchio said a visitors center that would also serve as an entrance to the almost 20-acre park.

"I am in the process of trying to start talks with the DEP to secure capital funds for this project," he said, "and they have indicated that funds for this project will be available."

Trepicchio said the new visitors center would be a replica of the original 1819 Bergen County Courthouse.

New museum

In a telephone interview last week, Trepicchio discussed plans being put together by the Bergen County Historical Society to construct a museum at Historic New Bridge Landing to house its collection, a big part of which was damaged in last April’s nor’easter.

"This new facility would be climate-controlled, safe and centrally located at New Bridge Landing," he said.

About 600 items damaged during the storm and are now in storage, without a permanent home.

Trepicchio said the BCHS has retained an attorney to move the project through the necessary legal channels, and an architect has signed on pro bono to design the new museum.

"The concept of the museum is to have a mill-like structure built that would be placed on stilts over the flood plain," he said.

Administrative powers

In another development, State Sens. Loretta Weinberg and Gerald Cardinale introduced a bill in the state Senate requesting that administrative power be transferred from the state Parks Department to the Historic New Bridge Landing Park Commission.

Trepicchio said that the bill — S-1644 introduced on May 5 — would also provide a yearly budgetary line item which is also being sought for the historic park.

As it currently stands, administration of the historic park "rests with government officials who operate the site remotely," according to the Bergen County Historical Society.

The new legislation would transfer administrative control of the site "to those best suited for the task."

"Local commissioners are capable, ‘history minded’ individuals who possess a thorough understanding and appreciation of the site, and recognize its enormous potential," the historical society said.

The state Senate Environmental Committee is currently reviewing the bill.

Historic New Bridge Landing consists of almost 20 acres of land in New Milford, Teaneck and River Edge.

In November 1776, Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Hackensack River and passed through the area in retreat from British forces.