First flood barrier erected in New York

The first 12-meter, 32-ton lock in New York was lifted on February 24 as part of the East Side Coastal Resilience Project in Manhattan. $1,45 billion project aims to protect the Lower East Side from coastal flooding ABC 7 NY.

The first massive swing gates were installed by the New York City Department of Design and Building in a hole in the wall near Stuyvesant Cove Park along the East River.

“Today we are installing our first gates,” Commissioner Thomas Foley said. “Stainless steel gate made in New York.”

The 3m high gate was fabricated in upstate New York and will remain open to provide access to embankment. However, they can be closed before a coastal storm to protect the area. It has 110 residents, 000 of which are in public housing.

The area was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

This is one of the 18 gates that are part of the project and the goal is to use a series of beams, walls and sluices to create a continuous 3,8 km barrier.

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“So the gate provides access as well as resiliency and security,” Foley said. “The entire project is aimed at protecting more than 100 residents here in this area.”

In addition to the barrier, the barrier will also include a park area.

East River Park is one of the locations that will be redeveloped as part of the resilience project, and it is planned to raise it by about 2,5 meters and add new amenities.

However, some in the community say the project will destroy the park and that there are better options for sustainability.

The next major milestone of the project will be the Asser Levy Playground, which will now include sluices and flood walls integrated into the playground landscape.