Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Pallone Announces Completion of Phase One of Port Monmouth Flood Control Project




LONG BRANCH, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced the completion of the first phase of the Port Monmouth Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project. This $18 million project will reduce the risks that coastal storms pose to residents and businesses in the Port Monmouth area. The project is federally funded through the Sandy relief package that Pallone fought for and helped to pass in Congress. For the announcement in Bayshore Waterfront Park, Congressman Pallone was joined by Colonel David Caldwell, Commander of the New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The Port Monmouth flood control project will protect homes and businesses in our area from future flooding,” said Congressman Pallone. “I have worked for years to bring this project to fruition, so I’m especially pleased to announce the completion of the critical first phase. Port Monmouth, like so many other coastal New Jersey communities, faced serious flooding during Hurricane Sandy. All along the Bayshore, flooding has become an increasingly common phenomenon as severe storms have become more frequent and residential and commercial development has increased. The project strengthens our local infrastructure, reduces the risk of future flood damage and will keep our community safe.”
The first phase of the project included dune restoration, beach replenishment, groin work, extension of the fishing pier, and construction of protective dunes. Pallone highlighted the fact that the project will address major flood prevention to protect the low-lying residential and commercial areas in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown Township.

The project’s second phase will include constructing a system of levees, a floodwall, a tide gate, road closure structures, road regarding and pump stations. The entire $105 million project will be funded by the Sandy relief package and will offer significant protection to the area, which has suffered frequent flooding, erosion and damage from rain and coastal storms in recent years. The Army Corps of Engineers expects to begin awarding contracts for the second phase in May 2016 so that construction for the full project could be completed by 2019.

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