Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla today announced additional plans to beautify and upgrade Hoboken’s uptown waterfront as a part of the third phase of its Weehawken Cove Restoration project. This follows the removal of 14 abandoned and derelict vessels in 2022 in Weehawken Cove.
The planned upgrades to Weehawken Cove will enhance the scenery, recreational amenities, and natural environment along a portion of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway between Park Avenue and 16th Street. The improvements include the re-grading of the sand beach for improved water access for water activities, the installation of a 7,000 square foot ecologically rich tidal pool, and new plants and natural elements to restore natural habitats for local plants and marine life.
This phase of waterfront upgrades will install a protected and stabilized shoreline that is made of natural materials, such as plants, sand, and rocks, to form a tidal pool, also known as a living shoreline. The living shoreline will help prevent further erosion within Weehawken Cove, enhance water quality in the Hudson River, store carbon emissions, improve the local environment by capturing pollutants, and attract new wildlife. Living shorelines are more resilient against storms than traditional solid bulkheads and can absorb waves more efficiently, an additional benefit to the City.
“For the past six and a half years, preserving and upgrading Hoboken’s waterfront has been a top priority for my administration,” said Mayor Bhalla. “Enhancing Weehawken Cove will not only beautify our waterfront, but will also improve our environment, the Hudson River’s water quality, and local habitat. Taken together with our other projects including a new Harborside Park, expanding access at the Monarch site, plans for a new park at the former Union Dry Dock site, and more, we are transforming our waterfront for all to enjoy.”
The City will begin construction on the living shoreline next year, utilizing funding from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund.
The tidal pool will consist of shallow waters, mudflats, and salt marshes, creating a range of microhabitats to support wildlife and increase biodiversity. Native plant species, such as smooth cordgrass and saltmeadow cordgrass, will be planted to stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and provide nesting opportunities for bird species. Invertebrates, like fiddler crabs and ribbed mussels, will also contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem by promoting nutrient cycling and water filtration.
The City will partner with Stevens Institute of Technology students and staff throughout the planning and implementation process for the living shoreline project as faculty and students will be actively involved in monitoring the ecological impacts before, during, and after construction.
Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the project via email at [email protected]. Following public feedback, the City will refine the design and seek to award a contract for construction activities in summer 2025.
The Weehawken Cove Restoration project builds on the City’s progress to upgrade Hoboken’s Waterfront. Last year, Hoboken and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection broke ground on Harborside Park as part of the Rebuild by Design project to mitigate storm surge flooding. Harborside Park, adjacent to Weehawken Cove, will utilize above and below ground infrastructure to create both open air amenities, such as a dog run and amphitheater, as well as elevated flood protection during storms like Superstorm Sandy.
To learn more about the Rebuild by Design project, go to https://dep.nj.gov/floodresilience/rebuild-by-design-hudson-river/.
