The City of Hoboken today began the second phase of the Weehawken Cove Restoration project to rehabilitate the cove’s ecosystem following the removal of 14 derelict and abandoned boats last year. During phase II, the City will repair the 16th Street bulkhead, upgrade the surrounding waterfront walkway, install new drainage, and replace existing lighting and seating.
“Making substantial upgrades along our waterfront continues to be a priority for my administration, and this project is the latest example of that,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “Thanks to our federal and local partnerships, we will be able to repair this critical piece of our waterfront walkway that has been in a state of disrepair, with even more improvements planned in the coming years.”
The project is part of the City’s overall initiative to improve Weehawken Cove, including the installation of a living shoreline that supports the growth of marine mollusks and filter feeders, educational activities and volunteer opportunities to restore and maintain wildlife ecosystems, and the possible creation of a reef near Weehawken Cove.
Following the completion of bulkhead repairs, the City will move forward with Harborside Park construction at 15th and Garden Streets as part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Rebuild by Design project. The new park will include above-ground amenities to protect the City from storm surge flooding caused by events like Superstorm Sandy.
The Weehawken Cove Restoration Project is funded through the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres program with the assistance of Riverkeeper and the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, and a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.)
For more information on the Rebuild by Design project, go to https://www.nj.gov/dep/floodresilience/rbd-hudsonriver.htm.
For weekly updates on phase II construction of the Weehawken Cove Restoration Project, go to www.hobokennj.gov/construction.
