Recovery of the NJ marine transportation system in the wake of Superstorm Sandy: A 10-year retrospective

Abstract

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Office of Maritime Resources (NJDOT/ OMR) is responsible for operations and maintenance of more than 200 nautical miles (nmi) of shallow draft navigation channels in the Atlantic coastal region, as well as providing capacity for dredged material management to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the 117-mile New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway. When Superstorm Sandy made landfall in fall 2012, an estimated $65 million in damage was caused to state infrastructure in the form of severe shoaling, shoreline erosion, and berm loss on confined disposal facilities. In the decade since, the NJDOT/OMR has dredged 1.9 million CY of sediment and beneficially used over half of that in resiliency projects ranging from shoreline stabilization and marsh enhancement to restoration of shallow water habitat at a cost of over $120 million. Another 2.0 million CY of sediment has been dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the same timeframe, with 60% being used in resiliency projects. In addition to these projects, NJDOT also repaired and strengthened five confined disposal facilities, improved storm preparedness, and created a pathway toward a more sustainable maintenance program for New Jersey’s waterways. A summary of these projects is presented, along with lessons learned and considerations for dredging and beneficial-use practitioners.