A major waterfront repair and re-development project on a storm-battered coastline in Perth Amboy, which was jointly funded by the State Department of Environmental Protection and the city, has been completed.
The DEP approved $1.7 million in Shore Protection funds for the $3.55 million bulkhead and beach replenishment project along the weather-battered waterfront in Perth Amboy.
Storms in recent years, including Superstorm Sandy, damaged and eroded parts of the 1.5-mile stretch of the shoreline at the confluence of the Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill, an area that includes a mix of residential, recreational and commercial uses that provide a strong boost to the city’s economy.
The project included repair of the pier and harbor walk, and repair and replacement of bulkheads adjacent to the waterfront, among other work, with a goal to improve, enhance, protect and preserve the waterfront while providing easier access to the pier and harbor walk.
The city targeted various structures in the municipal waterfront park and replenished a half-mile of beach along Sadowski Parkway, from High Street to Second Street. Along Front Street, work included a new perimeter wall. South of the Perth Amboy Municipal Marina, a new bulkhead was constructed adjacent to Seabras Armory, as well as a new ramp access to the South Pier. On Water Street, additional bulkhead installation, railing replacement and sidewalk repair was done.
The Shore Protection Program, overseen by the DEP’s Office of Engineering and Construction, is designed to protect public and private property and infrastructure from coastal storm damage, erosion and shoreline migration and sea-level rise. Projects include beach replenishment and construction of bulkheads, jetties and seawalls.
Municipalities or counties awarded Shore Protection Fund grants are required to provide at least a 25 percent match of costs, and must agree to provide permanent easements to facilitate public access to the waterfront.
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Press Release, September 22, 2014