Dear Editor:
On December 10th, you can hear more about this and give your opinion at a very important public meeting from 6-9 p.m., at The Wallace School to discuss the next steps of Hoboken’s anti flooding project known as Rebuild By Design – Resist, Delay, Store and Discharge.
Why should you attend? Because now is when the public’s input is most critical and there is a very tight timeframe that has to be followed in order to not risk losing the $230 million grant we have been awarded.
The DEP will be presenting five plan concepts with the goal of narrowing these to three to move forward to the next phase. Examples of features being considered in these concepts – For the Northern Resist plan: a 12ft barrier/wall (from the ground) along the waterfront from the Weehawken border to the south end of Maxwell park or alternatively a three foot wall that would run from the Hoboken Cove across Garden Street extending to 13th street. For the Southern Resist plan: a wall along Observer Highway ending at the PATH train or alternatively a barrier/wall along Sinatra drive, extending around the PATH station and then along the south side of the railroad tracks. The “Delay, Store and Discharge” part of the plan includes significant drainage and below ground cistern and storage enhancements in the western side of Hoboken to help alleviate the flooding that occurs regularly with heavy rains or water main breaks. As you can see, these features BEG for public input.
To keep the funds, we – the Hoboken community, the DEP and HUD – have to agree a plan and have it mapped out and designed within 12 months. That is no small feat. If we do not make this deadline, we are at risk of losing the entire award. There has already been approximately 12 months of work to get to this point. So please join on December 10th to help weigh the pros and cons of the proposed concepts including overall flood protection, cost of the project, quality of life considerations, feasibility / doability, and factoring in short and long term community goals. What we cannot do, is squander away $230 million to help our community; funds that were awarded to us after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Sandy. This is an amazing opportunity that most communities do not have and would do anything to get.
Thank you for getting more involved! Hoboken needs your input. More voices are better!
Tiffanie Fisher
Councilwoman-Elect