Underground pipeline construction on cropland can reduce crop productivity on the pipeline rights-of-way (ROWs). There is a dearth of information on the recovery of soil productivity with increasing time since reclamation (TSR) of ROWs on cropland. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of TSR on the recovery of soil properties and crop yield on underground natural gas pipeline ROWs. We used field and laboratory studies to examine changes in soil properties and soil productivity with increasing TSR. A growth room bioassay using soils collected from ROWs with TSRs of 4 and 10 yr examined the response of ROW soils to fertilizer application in the absence of an operating underground pipeline. Results showed detrimental impacts of the pipelines on soil health and soil productivity, with grain yields 42% lower on the ROWs than on the off-ROWs, even 12 yr after ROW reclamation. Permanganate-oxidizable carbon and autoclaved-citrate extractable protein levels on ROWs approached those on the off-ROW by year 12 following ROW reclamation, while soil respiration (24-h CO2 burst) recovered within 6 yr of reclamation. Soil penetration resistance in the 20- to 40-cm depth interval was 58-64% greater on the 4.5-yr ROW than on the off-ROW. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was three to four times lower on the 4.5- and 6.5-yr ROWs than on the off-ROW. Effective water conductive macroporosity was 73% lower on the 4.5-yr ROW than on the off-ROW. Six years post-reclamation, the diversity of bacterial and fungal communities on two of the three sites was still lower than on the off-ROW. Nonetheless, all soil and crop attributes showed a steady but slow improvement with increasing TSR. Contrary to the limited crop response to incremental fertilizer rates in the field study, the growth room bioassay showed a significant biomass yield response to increasing fertilizer rates. These results suggest that persisting crop yield losses observed in the field could be due to the presence of active pipelines. Findings from this research will assist in the formulation of guidelines for pipeline ROW reclamation and the development of land management strategies for the successful restoration of ROW soil productivity.