Project Features by Alternative

NYNJ Harbor and Tributaries Study has an array of five alternatives (2, 3A, 3B, 4, and 5). There are many features that are present in multiple alternatives, but some features are unique to a single alternative. The array of alternatives generally moves from Alternative 2, an in-water shoreline-based alternative to Alternative 5, which is mainly comprised of levees, floodwalls, and other land-based measures.

Below is an interactive Dashboard that lets you zoom in on the main map at the top of the Dashboard. Panning or Zooming on the main map will make the other maps follow suit. You can use the main map to find areas of interest and see what features would be planned in each Alternative. You can use the button in the upper right of the Dashboard, or  This Link , to open it in a new tab for easier viewing.

Each alternative is color coded when zoomed out (i.e. Alternative 2 is yellow while Alternative 5 is light blue). As you zoom in to the features they will break up into different colors to show off different feature/measure types by location, such as what is shown on the list in the upper-right of the dashboard. The list in the upper-right lets you filter out varoius features/measures based on their location, their feature type, and finally the measure (i.e. the first on the list "Eastchester Bay - IFF, Deployable Flood Barrier" would zoom into Eastchester Bay and show the Deployable Flood Barrier there). Once the main map zooms in you can see that those are features mainly present in Alternatives 2 and 3A). Clicking on the same item in the list will remove the filter.

Alternative 2 includes one primary component - a combination levee, berm and surge gate/barrier system - that could broadly address coastal storm surge and wave attack from either the New York Bight or Long Island Sound to the vast majority of the study area. Numerous navigational surge gates, auxiliary gates and static barrier connectors (e.g., seawalls) of approximately 34,700 feet total length comprise the in-water measures in the SH-BP surge gate structure included in this alternative. Alternative 2 also includes several primary IFFs and the most RRFs out of all five alternatives.

Alternative 3A includes two primary structural components: SSB and SBMs tie-ins to address coastal storm surge for two distinct geographic areas, as shown in the interactive Dashboard. The first primary structural component involves SSBs and associated SBM tie-ins at the southern mouth of the Arthur Kill, the Verrazano Narrows (in either the southern region of the Upper Bay or the northern area of the Lower Bay), and at the Throgs Neck, similar to Alternative 2. The second primary structural component in Alternative 3A involves a combination of SBMs along with multiple surge gate structures in the southern Brooklyn to the mouth of Jamaica Bay and then to Rockaway Peninsula. 

Alternative 3B includes two primary structural components involving multiple SSBs each, three primary structural components involving SSBs on the individual creeks of Gowanus, Newtown and Flushing located in Brooklyn and Queens, and three primary structural SBMs in Jersey City, the lower west side of Manhattan, and East Harlem. The Jamaica Bay and southern Brooklyn primary structural component involves a combination of SBM’s along with multiple surge gate structures in the southern Brooklyn to the mouth of Jamaica Bay and then to Rockaway Peninsula. The Kill Van Kull and Arthur Kill SSB primary structural component is a dual storm surge gate system at the southern mouth of the Arthur Kill, and the eastern mouth of the Kill Van Kull between Bayonne, NJ and Staten Island, NY.

The three primary structural components involving SSBs on the individual creeks of Gowanus, Newtown and Flushing located in Brooklyn and Queens have a currently estimated total length of SSB opening of 200 ft, 400 ft., and 500 ft. respectively with SBM tie-ins currently estimated at lengths of approximately 18,552 feet, 15,808 feet, and 9,479 feet of deployable flood barriers, elevated promenade, floodwalls, levees and seawalls. The three primary structural SBMs in Jersey City, the lower west side of Manhattan, and East Harlem are currently estimate to have total lengths of approximately 43,207 feet, 30,426 feet, and 24,912 feet, respectively.  The measures incorporated into these three SBM components include the following: deployable flood barriers, floodwalls, seawalls, and elevated promenades.

Alternative 4 involves one primary structural component involving multiple SSBs, four primary structural components involving SSBs on the Hackensack River, and the individual or creeks of Gowanus, Newtown and Flushing located in Brooklyn and Queens, and three primary structural SBMs in Jersey City, the lower west side of Manhattan, and East Harlem. The primary structural components involving multiple SSBs involves a combination of SBM’s along with multiple surge gate structures in the southern Brooklyn to the mouth of Jamaica Bay and then to Rockaway Peninsula. Lower Brooklyn (the same component as in Alternatives 3A and 3B).

Alternative 5 does not include any large in-water structures. This alternative categorically excludes SSB measures and has no identified RRFs. This alternative includes four primary structural components SBMs that are located in the Hackensack Meadowlands, Jersey City, the lower west side of Manhattan, and East Harlem. The measures incorporated into these four SBM components include the following: deployable flood barriers, floodwalls, seawalls, elevated promenades and tide gates.

More information can be found in Chapter 5 (Tentatively Selected Plan) and Chapter 6 (Effects and Consequences of the Alternative Plans) of the Draft Report