CITY OF HOBOKEN SOUTHWEST PARK CSO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

The City of Hoboken recently completed a green infrastructure project that is being funded with approximately $5.1 million in loans from the NJ Water Bank, a joint low-rate funding program of the DEP and the NJIB. Because this project addressed combined sewer overflow issues with green infrastructure, this project qualified for $1Million in principal forgiveness. Total savings for this project including interest cost savings are estimated to be $2,021,833 over the 20-year term of the loan or 40% of the total project cost. In addition, this project created an estimated 61 direct construction jobs.  

The Southwest Park is a one-acre plot that was designed to capture 200,000 gallons of stormwater runoff while providing green space for the neighborhood. Southwest Park serves as a small-scale model for integrating green infrastructure and underground retention to reduce flooding. Hoboken's combined sewer system (CSS) collects both sanitary and stormwater flows, diminishing water quality and leading to flooding. The stormwater design combines passive rainwater collection with permeable pavement rain gardens and bioswales with subsurface storage beneath the park.  All of the pavement within the park is permeable so that the first rainfall is absorbed within the pavement. Subterranean storage chambers located in the zone between the park pavement and the water table collect overflow from the rain garden and any drain inlets within the park. The stored rainwater is then slowly released to reduce the peak flow to the City's sewer system and keep the CSS from overflowing.  

Ravi Bhalla, Mayor of the City of Hoboken, applauded former Mayor, Dawn Zimmer for the initiation of the project which addresses flooding issues in the City. "I'd also like to acknowledge the City Council for their continuous support of the project and North Hudson Sewerage Authority for partnering with the City to design this park so that it reduces flooding. The park represents an ideal opportunity to combine green infrastructure and water retention with the creation of a public open space."  

This project was designed by Suburban Consultants and built by Flanagan Contracting Group.