Commissioner LaTourette joins with state and local officials to launch construction on landmark North Jersey Resilience Projects

• Posted on: 10/26/2023

Work on Hudson River and Meadowlands Rebuild by Design projects commences as state reflects on devastation from Superstorm Sandy

TRENTON – Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today joined with state and local officials to mark the beginning of construction of landmark Rebuild by Design projects that will increase climate resilience for Hudson River communities and the Meadowlands, two highly populated areas of the state that were devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

Commemorating the 11th anniversary of Sandy, which hit the state on Oct. 29, 2012, Commissioner LaTourette was joined by New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Acting Commissioner Jacquelyn Suárez, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and former Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer for a groundbreaking ceremony at Hoboken’s Harborside Park that officially launched the $251 million construction of flood walls and related infrastructure to protect Hoboken and portions of Jersey City and Weehawken along the Hudson River.

He also marked the official start of work on the $46.6 million construction of a pump station and related infrastructure to reduce flood impacts during and after rainfall events in Little Ferry, Carlstadt, Moonachie, South Hackensack and Teterboro in the Meadowlands of Bergen County.

“Record storm surge from Superstorm Sandy left extensive portions of the Hudson waterfront and Meadowlands underwater, disrupting many thousands of lives and causing extensive damage to businesses, homes, and infrastructure,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Today, thanks to the collaborative efforts that grew out of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rebuild by Design competition, these areas are becoming national models for resilience projects that will better protect lives, property, and infrastructure from the worsening impacts of climate change.”

“Today marks a turning point in New Jersey history,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “Over the years since Sandy devastated many parts of New Jersey, state, federal and local governments have worked long and hard to build consensus, plan, and design advanced measures to protect two areas of the state that are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Now we are bringing those efforts to reality through the construction of extensive networks of flood walls, flood gates and barriers for the Hudson River communities and a force main and state-of-the-art pump-station system for the Meadowlands.”

“The goal of HUD’s Rebuild by Design project was to promote innovation by developing regional as well as local solutions that increase resilience in communities that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy,” said HUD New York and New Jersey Regional Administrator Alicka Ampry-Samuel.  “There is no better example of this than RBD’s Hudson River Project and the Meadowlands Project that will safeguard these vulnerable communities in northern New Jersey from heavy rain, extreme high tides, and storm surge events. This groundbreaking represents a significant and joyous day for the State, and I wish to thank Governor Phil Murphy, our New Jersey elected officials, and our federal partners for their support of these important and crucial resiliency projects.”

“Superstorm Sandy and subsequent storms and flooding events have taught us that we must be proactive in our climate resiliency efforts. The Rebuild by Design projects in communities along the Hudson River and in the Meadowlands are part of the State’s forward-looking strategy to lessen the destructive impacts of natural disasters that, unfortunately, are occurring more frequently in New Jersey, our nation, and our planet,” said Jacquelyn A. Suárez, Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which administers the federal funds for the projects. “We are excited to see these projects begin construction and we believe they will help fortify these communities against future floods so that families and businesses can avoid the harrowing experience of lives lost and widespread property damage.”

“I am thrilled to celebrate the groundbreaking of Harborside Park, a vital project that will not only transform our waterfront but also serve as a symbol of resilience for Hoboken,” said Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “Through the collaborative efforts of the Rebuild by Design project, we are taking significant steps to protect our residents from the devastating storm surge flooding that we experienced during Superstorm Sandy. Harborside Park will not only provide a host of amenities to our community but will also act as safeguard, ensuring that future generations will have the opportunity to thrive in a more resilient Hoboken. This groundbreaking is a testament to our unwavering commitment to combat and adapt to climate change and I thank Governor Phil Murphy, Commissioner LaTourette, Senator Cory Booker, former Congressman Albio Sires, and former Mayor Dawn Zimmer for their steadfast support of this innovative project.” 

“I am excited about the groundbreaking for the Park as Defense portion of this crucial resiliency project,” said former Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer, who led the city through Superstorm Sandy and its aftermath. “I look forward to expeditious completion of the entire project, including North Hoboken/Weehawken and South Hoboken/Jersey City, so that the entire region, including Hoboken's most vulnerable populations in the Southwest are fully protected when the next Sandy-level storm strikes.”

“We are thrilled that this long awaited and critical flood mitigation project will soon be underway in Little Ferry. After years of lobbying for funding, countless meetings, community input sessions, and planning we will finally see the beginning of construction. When completed, this project will have a measurable impact in preventing flooding in a large area of our community that has been prone to rising water in heavy rainstorms,” said Little Ferry Mayor Mauro D. Raguseo. “Like any major infrastructure construction project there may be detours and disturbances for a period of time, but it will certainly be worth it in the end when we see the final result.”

Rebuild by Design

The goals of Rebuild by Design projects are to decrease flood risk, cultivate the local ecology with native plantings, and energize communities with improvements to local parks. Benefits of the projects include protecting residents and businesses from flood hazards and damage, reducing street closures due to flooding, improving water quality, reducing urban heat-island effect, and enhancing community’s sense of place. The DEP’s Division of Resilience Engineering and Construction will lead both construction efforts within the project areas.

Totaling nearly $298 million, the New Jersey projects are funded largely through HUD’s Rebuild by Design competition grant program, launched in 2013 with the goal of bolstering the resilience of communities affected by Superstorm Sandy. Since the initial award from the competition grant program, both projects have received additional funds, including American Rescue Plan funding and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding.

Following preliminary work, significant construction activities will begin to be visible to both communities, including the mobilization of large construction equipment and utility relocation. In the coming weeks, communities in Hoboken and parts of Jersey City and Weehawken will begin to see the construction of RBD-Hudson’s floodwall elements, referred to as resist structures. The Meadowlands communities of Little Ferry and Moonachie will see the construction of the planned Liberty Street pump station and force main, as well as work to remove a decommissioned tide gate foundation that currently obstructs flow within Losen Slote Creek.

The DEP and project teams are working closely with local officials within the project areas to minimize traffic disruptions while also monitoring for potential impacts to residents’ quality of life throughout the construction phase by implementing noise, air quality and vibration monitoring. Those interested may sign up to receive weekly construction advisories for the RBD-Hudson Project here and for RBD-Meadowlands here. 

 Rebuild by Design Hudson Overview 

The RBD-Hudson project entails construction of more than 9,000 linear feet of floodwall, installation of floodgates and construction of resist structures including berms and levees, to provide barriers during extreme high tide and storm surge events. The structures will blend into the fabric of the project area, including Harborside Park, by incorporating seating, planters, lighting, and educational and artistic murals. The project will also include a comprehensive stormwater drainage component through the installation of curb and sidewalk drains and the removal of impervious pavement.

Rebuild by Design Meadowlands Overview 

The RBD-Meadowlands project entails installation of a new pump station and force main in Little Ferry to improve drainage in the Losen Slote Creek watershed, and the removal of a decommissioned tide gate foundation that currently obstructs flow within Losen Slote Creek. A second pump station is planned for construction next year in Carlstadt, followed by channel improvements and bridge replacements in Carlstadt and Moonachie to increase the capacity of East Riser Ditch and help reduce flood risk to the region.

Follow Commissioner LaTourette on Twitter and Instagram @shawnlatur and follow the DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP

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