DEP outlines multi-site flood-protection work, seeks limited noise waivers for longer shifts

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection told the Hoboken City Council on July 16 that major, multi-month construction closures for the Rebuild by Design flood-protection project will begin this summer and continue into 2026 and requested limited noise-waiver extensions so contractors can work longer hours and shorten overall closure times.

DEP officials said the work will include large gate foundations and rail systems on Fifteenth and Garden streets, and heavy, complex subsurface construction on Marin Boulevard. Kim McAvoy, Bureau Chief overseeing the Rebuild by Design work for the DEP, told the council the Marin Boulevard closure is tentatively set to start the week of July 21 and is estimated at about four months; Fifteenth and Garden is also described as a four‑month closure in its major phases with a later return for final gate installation and testing.

Why it matters: Council members and many residents expressed dampened confidence in communications, and business leaders warned of revenue losses during closures. DEP said longer daily work hours would reduce total days of disruption, but council members and residents pressed for limits on particularly disruptive activities — notably jackhammering, pile driving and vehicle reverse alarms — early in the morning and late at night.

DEP director Dennis Reinick and project manager Kim McAvoy said the agency is coordinating with Hoboken and Jersey City, the Hoboken police and Michael Baker International on traffic mitigation and that the construction schedule was driven by funding targets. "Sooner is better than later," Reinick said, describing urgency both to reach funding milestones and to complete protection before another major storm. McAvoy described an expanded outreach program that will include more signage explaining why work is happening and what the finished improvements will look like.

Council members and public commenters said past closures felt driven by contractor efficiency rather than neighborhood needs. Councilwoman Fisher urged DEP to require contractors to reopen one lane of traffic as soon as the most disruptive monolithic pours are complete; she also pressed DEP to restrict high‑impact work before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m. for residential blocks. DEP agreed to amended waiver language the council discussed on the dais that bars jackhammering, pile driving and federally mandated reverse alarms between 7 a.m.–8 a.m. and 10 p.m.–11 p.m. on the most sensitive Fifteenth Street block, while allowing other, less noisy site tasks to proceed earlier or later when needed.

DEP said it will install fence banners and on‑site signage that explain the construction purpose and eventual improvements, hold an amenities meeting for design updates in August, continue weekly traffic coordination with contractors and publish closure schedules on its project web pages. McAvoy said some heavy equipment (the largest gate described for Fifteenth Street) is being manufactured out of state and will be delivered later this year.

Council reaction and next steps: The council voted to approve the noise‑waiver resolution as amended. Members emphasized stricter enforcement of the revised limits and asked DEP to report back to the traffic subcommittee as closures begin. DEP asked the city to consider limited waivers so crews can work extended hours and reduce the overall number of days of neighborhood disruption; council members said they would weigh that request against resident complaints and business impacts.

The council also discussed a separate, city resolution to reallocate bond funds to parks and other capital work that may affect construction schedules; Council members said they will continue to press DEP and the contractor on signage, business support and clearer, block‑level schedules so residents and businesses can plan.

Ending: DEP officials said they will return to the council and to neighborhood stakeholder meetings as closure dates firm up. The council asked the administration and DEP to provide a short, public calendar of closures and a list of emergency‑contact numbers for residents and businesses affected by the work.