Resiliency Masterplan Jersey City

The City of Jersey City (pop. 264,290) is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is bounded on all sides by tidal water bodies – Hudson River and Upper New York Bay, Hackensack River, and Newark Bay – that flow toward the Atlantic Ocean. Financial and service industries as well as direct rapid transit access to Manhattan in New York City have made the Jersey City waterfront an important regional central business district.

Considering past storm events, namely Super-storm Sandy (2012) which inundated over 39% of the city’s land area, and future storm predictions, the City of Jersey City initiated a study to develop a framework to protect and adapt against future flood risks.

ORG, working as a consultant to Maser Engineering, helped map and analyze the city’s social, geographic, and economic strengths and vulnerabilities to identify flood protection measures that will be most effective in the near and long term. Multiple scenarios of coastal flooding mitigation (line of protection) and rainwater green infrastructure were located and considered as a networked system. As a network, the interventions could be coupled with other urban systems, such as transit, open and recreational space, and other cultural, public, or private development projects.