Hoboken, New Jersey, is moving forward with a major flood protection project designed to help defend the city against storm surges and rising water from the Hudson River.
City officials expect new floodgates to become operational in 2027 as part of a long-term effort to reduce the impact of severe storms, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding.
News 12 recently received a look at two of the floodgates that will play a key role in protecting vulnerable areas of the city.
One of the larger gates is being installed near Harborside Park, which is currently under construction in the northern part of Hoboken. Once completed, the gate will extend across 15th Street, creating a barrier designed to prevent floodwaters from entering city streets during major storm events.
A second, smaller gate will be installed across Bloomfield Street. The bright orange structures will work alongside concrete flood walls to create a stronger defense system against water coming from the Hudson River.
The flood protection system is part of the federal Rebuild by Design project, a major infrastructure initiative developed to help communities recover from and prepare for future storms. The Hoboken portion of the project carries an estimated cost of $230 million, which is being funded by the federal government.
The need for improved flood protection was highlighted during recent heavy rainfall events. Over one weekend, approximately two inches of rain fell on Hoboken within just 45 minutes, creating significant water challenges throughout the city.
However, Mayor Emily Jabbour said the city’s flood pumps were able to handle the extreme rainfall. She said the pumps removed about 14 million gallons of water over a four-hour period, helping streets recover much faster than in previous storms.
According to the mayor, the new systems are already demonstrating the value of investing in flood resilience.
“It did just that — it held a million gallons of water, and it was able to discharge that water back into the sewer system,” Jabbour said while discussing the city’s flood management efforts.
Officials said the combination of floodgates, flood walls, and upgraded pumping systems will significantly improve Hoboken’s ability to respond to severe weather.
The project is expected to transform how the city handles flooding by preventing storm surge from the Hudson River from spreading into neighborhoods and reducing the amount of time streets remain underwater after major storms.
