New Jersey invests $298 million in flood-resilience projects

(UI) — In coordination with Climate Week, Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette has allocated nearly $298 million for two critical flood-resilience projects in northern New Jersey.

This funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Rebuild by Design competition grant program, will fortify the region against increasing climate change impacts.

The projects encompass Hoboken, parts of Jersey City, Weehawken, and the Meadowlands communities of Little Ferry, Carlstadt, Moonachie, South Hackensack, and Teterboro. They aim to safeguard these areas against the increasing threat of flooding resulting from severe storms and rising sea levels.

E.E. Cruz & Company, based in Whitestone, New York, has been awarded a $251 million contract for the Rebuild by Design Hudson River (RBD-Hudson) Project. This undertaking involves constructing over 9,000 linear feet of floodwalls, installing floodgates, and building berms and levees (resist structures) to protect against high tides and storm surges. These structures will be seamlessly integrated into the project area, including Hoboken's Harborside Park, which will be renamed Cove Park. In addition to flood protection, the project includes a comprehensive stormwater drainage system. Construction activities are set to commence in early 2024.

The first phase of the RBD-Hudson project, the Sewer Separation Modification, was successfully completed in July 2022, at a cost of approximately $7 million. This phase focused on the separation of the combined sewer system in Hoboken to prevent the undermining of resilience structures during storm surge events and enhance public health.

Union Paving & Construction Company of Mountainside, New Jersey, secured a $46.6 million contract for the Rebuild by Design Meadowlands (RBD-Meadowlands) Project. This project involves the installation of a new pump station and force main in Little Ferry to improve drainage in the Losen Slote Creek watershed, along with the removal of a decommissioned tide gate foundation that obstructs flow in Losen Slote Creek. The project will reduce the risk of rainfall flooding and enhance the recovery from storm surge flooding in the area. Construction is set to begin this fall, with a second pump station in Carlstadt planned for next year, followed by channel improvements and bridge replacements to reduce flood risk.

Both construction efforts are led by the DEP's Division of Resilience Engineering and Construction, with a focus on areas vulnerable to flooding from heavy rainfall, high tide, and storm surge events. These projects aim to decrease flood risk, restore local ecology with native plantings, and enhance community spaces, including local parks.

Throughout the planning process spanning approximately nine years, the DEP has actively engaged the community, collaborating through public meetings and construction updates. The DEP remains committed to ongoing engagement with the communities involved in these projects. Efforts are in place to minimize traffic disruptions and monitor potential impacts on residents' quality of life during the construction phase.

The Rebuild by Design projects were initiated in response to Superstorm Sandy's devastating impact on New Jersey and neighboring states. The projects have received additional funding, including support from the American Rescue Plan and FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities fund.

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