The City of Hoboken is continuing with a number of quality of life projects this week. Below are construction updates on the City’s water main upgrades to replace 7,000 linear feet of Hoboken’s oldest water mains, construction on the 5-acre Northwest Resiliency Park and flood infrastructure, tree pruning on Washington Street, South Waterfront Walkway Rehabilitation, new playground safety surface at Elysian Park, and the renovation of the Maxwell Park dog run to replace the existing gravel with a modern synthetic turf surface.
Water Infrastructure Upgrades
The City continues with the first phase of its water main replacement project, which will replace a total of 15 blocks, or 7,000 linear feet of Hoboken’s oldest water mains. The following activities are anticipated the week of 8/17/2020 to 8/21/2020:
- Monday 8/17/2020 thru Friday 8/21/2020: Monroe Street between 11TH and 8TH Street water main will be installed. One lane will remain open to traffic during the installation.
- On Thursday 8/20/2020 and Friday 8/21/2020 sidewalk and curb restoration will occur on Monroe Street between 3rd and 4th Street.
- Monday 8/17/2020 thru Friday 8/21/2020: Garden Street between 12th Street and 14th Street will be closed at times between the hours of 8am and 5pm for the transfer of water services from the old water main to the new water main and to shut down and abandon the old water mains.
- Monday 8/17, Thursday 8/20 and Friday 8/21/2020: ADA sidewalk access ramps will be constructed at the Garden Street intersection between 12th and 14th Street.
- Monday 8/17/2020 thru Friday 8/21/2020: Bloomfield Street between 2nd and 3rd Street will be closed at times between the hours of 8am and 5pm for the transfer of water services from the old water main to the new water main.
- Tuesday 8/18/2020 thru Wednesday 8/19/2020: ADA sidewalk access ramps will be constructed at the Bloomfield Street intersections between 2nd and 4th Street.
- Monday 8/17/2020 thru Wednesday 8/19/2020: Rain garden work at Garden and 4th street will continue but they do not anticipate any road closures for this work.
The construction of the water mains utilizes low interest and interest free loans from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and does not use funding from the 2020 municipal budget. In 2019, the City entered into a contract with SUEZ that now provides for $33 million in water main upgrades through 2034, with an average of $2.2 million invested every year. More information about the water infrastructure upgrades project is available at https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/drinking-water-infrastructure-upgrades-phase-1.
Northwest Resiliency Park
Construction continues on the 5-acre Northwest Resiliency Park, which will be New Jersey’s largest resiliency park. The park will have above and below ground infrastructure to withhold up to 2 million gallons of rainwater to help mitigate local flooding. The following activities are anticipated the week of 8/17/2020 to 8/21/2020:
- The contractor will continue taking delivery and setting the precast modular sections for the one million gallon tank. This work will be ongoing through the week of 8/24/2020 – 8/28/2020.
- The dewatering and treatment system for the tank excavation will continue to operate 24 hours per day.
The City uses a combination of low interest and interest-free loans, principal forgiveness for the resiliency features, and grant money to save over $19 million over the life of the project. The Northwest Resiliency Park also utilizes the Open Space Trust Fund to pay for the construction costs of the Northwest Park, and is not utilizing any funding from the 2020 municipal budget.
More information about the Northwest Resiliency Park construction is available at www.hobokennj.gov/nwpark
Washington Street Tree Pruning
The Hoboken Business Alliance (HBA) is partnering with the City of Hoboken and the Hoboken Shade Tree Commission to improve street trees and tree pits along Washington Street. This project will not only improve the visual aesthetics of Washington Street, but will also improve the health and longevity of Hoboken’s street trees, provide vital shade, improve cooling and air quality, and contribute to climate mitigation.
The HBA hired a certified arborist to inventory all trees on Washington Street. His recommendations included weeding and mulching tree pits, adding soil, pruning trees, and removing hazardous, dying, or dead trees and stumps. In addition, he recommended locations for expanding tree pits, planting new trees, and repairing tree guards. These recommendations have also been reviewed and approved by the Hoboken Shade Tree Commission.
Tree work is expected to be completed next week. The contractor is a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert whose arborists and crews are following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), city, and state agencies as they perform their tree work.
Unfortunately, there are instances where it has been recommended by our arborist that we remove a tree because it is either hazardous, dying or dead. The HBA plans to plant new trees at every location where trees have been removed at the appropriate time in the future.
To learn more about the Hoboken Business Alliance, visit hobokenalliance.com or follow us on Facebook @HobokenBusinessAlliance, Twitter @HobokenAlliance, and Instagram @HobokenAlliance.
South Waterfront Walkway Rehabilitation
The South Waterfront Walkway Rehabilitation project will continue, with installing benches along the walkway. A new irrigation system has been installed and trees have been planted along the walkway, and all lighting at Pier A has been upgraded to LED. After the pavers are reset, benches will be installed in future weeks.
More information about the South Waterfront Walkway Rehabilitation Project is available at https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/south-waterfront-improvements
Maxwell Park Dog Run
The dog run at Maxwell Park remains closed through mid August to construct improvements. The water fountain near the dog run also remains closed. Upgrades include expanding the area of the dog run and replacing the gravel surface with synthetic turf, as well as adding new benches, a dual water fountain, pet waste stations, and fencing. Three trees will need to be removed for the expansion of the dog run, and six new trees will be planted. The fence and water fountain are scheduled to be installed this week.
Elysian Park Playground Safety Surface
The northern playground remains closed as the safety surface has been removed and excavation is underway for the installation of a new drainage system, followed by a new synthetic turf playground safety surface. Construction is anticipated to be completed in the fall. Please use the southern entrance to Elysian Park during construction.
Harborside Park (Future Cove Park) Geotechnical Work
The engineering team for the Rebuild by Design – Hudson River project will continue drilling multiple subsurface soil borings north and east of Harborside Park, in order to further the design of Cove Park. This activity will occur in the vicinity of Cove Park, 15th Street, 16th Street and Park Avenue. The following activities are anticipated this week:
- The contractor will be performing subsurface exploration in relation to resiliency structures around Harborside Park.
- Work will consist of drilling soil borings using standard drilling techniques; a truck mounted drill rig and soil sample collection.
- Geotechnical work is an inherently noisy activity. The noise produced by the drilling equipment is similar to other construction vehicles.
- All activities will occur during normal work hours are from 7 AM – 3 PM Monday through Friday, with no noise-producing activities until after 8 AM.
- Work has been coordinated the City in an effort to minimize impacts to the local community.
More information about the Rebuild by Design – Hudson River project is available at http://www.rbd-hudsonriver.nj.gov/
The protection of each construction site, workers, and the general public are of the utmost priority. Contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, and suppliers are following CDC guidelines and employer policies for COVID-19 protection.
