Remember Sandy? This Meadowlands project aims to reduce such flooding
North Jersey’s flood protection plans took a key step forward last week as the state announced new contracts totaling nearly $298 million to support two major flood-resilience projects, one in the Meadowlands and another in Hoboken and parts of Jersey City and Weehawken.
The Meadowlands communities that will benefit include Little Ferry, Carlstadt, Moonachie, South Hackensack and Teterboro.
Both projects aim to protect the areas from flooding caused by severe storms and rising sea levels, issues tied to worsening climate change impacts. The contracts were announced by Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, as part of Climate Week, designed to educate the public about climate change and actions to address its effects.
The Meadowlands project aims to lower the risk of rainfall flooding and to accelerate recovery times from storm surge flooding within the Losen Slote Creek watershed in Little Ferry and surrounding towns, the DEP said.
Response to Superstorm Sandy
Rebuild by Design Meadowlands was created after Superstorm Sandy to reinforce flood resiliency in Little Ferry and nearby towns also hit hard by Sandy in 2012. The storm surge caused the Hackensack River to flood and “took over 70% of the town,” Little Ferry Mayor Mauro Raguseo told NorthJersey.com. Over a decade later, the low-lying and densely populated area remains vulnerable to flooding, especially given the growing impacts of climate change.
The company that was awarded a $45.6 million contract, Union Paving & Construction, will begin construction this fall. It plans to install new infrastructure to improve drainage in the watershed. The team also plans to build a second pump station and make channel improvements.
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Due to old age, the area’s network of drainage channels and ditches does not provide adequate drainage after heavy rains, a project fact sheet says. Construction crews will deepen and widen the East Riser Ditch, remove sediment and debris, and add native plants to the embankment to enhance biodiversity.
Union will also replace the railroad bridge over the East Riser Ditch in Carlstadt, which is one portion of the project among others that may temporarily affect traffic in the area.
More: A decade after Sandy, devastated Meadowlands towns still adding defenses, still vulnerable
“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,” Raguseo said. “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.”
With enough funds, the Meadowlands project may also include a new park and green infrastructure designed for municipally owned buildings in the area, the project’s webpage says.
Hoboken project along the Hudson
The Hoboken project along the Hudson River will involve building more than 9,000 linear feet of resistance structures to serve as barriers during high tides and storm surges. The $251 million contract will also cover installation of a comprehensive stormwater drainage system.
The financial push moves these projects along after a nine-year planning process that involved extensive community engagement. The DEP and project teams are working with local officials to ensure that their work causes minimal traffic and quality-of-life disruptions, the DEP said.
The public can learn more about the projects and sign up to receive updates about topics like construction and related meetings on the Department of Environmental Protection’s Rebuild by Design webpage.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Meadowlands, Hoboken win funds to protect areas from flooding
