Morristown Minute: State Officials Announce Two Key Projects to Safeguard Hudson River and Meadowlands Communities Against Climate Change-Induced Flooding.

In alignment with Climate Week, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection, Shawn M. LaTourette, revealed a nearly $298 million investment in pioneering flood-resilience projects for areas in and around the Hudson River and the Meadowlands, thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rebuild by Design competition grant program.

Governor Phil Murphy and Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette disclosed the ambitious plans, which target Hoboken and parts of Jersey City and Weehawken, along with the Meadowlands communities of Little Ferry, Carlstadt, Moonachie, South Hackensack, and Teterboro. The announcement comes during Climate Week, a period designated to raise public awareness about climate change and resilience measures.

The Projects at a Glance

E.E. Cruz & Company of Whitestone, New York, has been granted a $251 million contract for the Rebuild by Design Hudson River (RBD-Hudson) Project. This involves constructing floodwalls, berms, and levees to provide resistance against extreme high tide and storm surge events. The project, set to begin in early 2024, will integrate aesthetic elements, such as seating and educational murals, at Harborside Park in Hoboken, which will be renamed Cove Park.

Union Paving & Construction Company of Mountainside, New Jersey, was awarded a $46.6 million contract for the Rebuild by Design Meadowlands (RBD-Meadowlands) Project. The work includes installing a new pump station and force main in Little Ferry to improve drainage in the Losen Slote Creek watershed, with construction beginning this fall. Read more>>