HOBOKEN – What will Hoboken’s flood protection look like? Planners expect to make renderings public by June but residents first need to provide input.
The City of Hoboken will host three workshops in April to discuss a finalized plan as part of the $230 million federally-funded Rebuild by Design Hudson River project spurred in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
“The ultimate design for this project will reflect the input from the community,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in a statement. “I know some residents are concerned about how the flood protection measures will look, but these workshops are opportunities to participate in the design process and directly influence the final plan. It is important for residents to know that this is the beginning of the design process and your voices will continue to be a very important part of creating the final flood protection measure.”
Late last year residents blasted engineers for even hinting at the erection of flood walls on the city’s waterfront that would threaten the views of the Manhattan skyline. However, only one of the three current concepts has flood walls, which the mayor said the state requires.
The money for the project is a prize from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the city’s victory in the Rebuild by Design competition.
The current date for completion of the new infrastructure is set for 2022 and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) estimates it will take three and a half years to complete the project.
Although primarily for the mile square city, the flood protection measures are ultimately also intended to help Weehawken and Jersey City.
The workshops will be held 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on April 7 at the Multi-Service Center, 124 Grand St.; April 12 at Adams Gardens, 220 Adams St.; April 14 at the Elks Lodge, 1005 Washington St., and at the St. Lawrence Church Community Room, 22 Hackensack Ave., Weehawken.
Residents not able to attend a meeting are encouraged to contact the mayor’s Chief of Staff Vijay Chaudhuri at at vchaudhuri@hobokennj.gov.
To read our full story on the last Rebuild by Design public meeting search “Goodbye floodwalls, hello barriers?” at www.hudsonreporter.com. – Steven Rodas
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