Project Description
Encompassing seven municipalities and approximately 310,000 residents, the Raritan River and Bay communities of New Jersey have been shaped by their proximity to water for centuries. As a key point of connection between Middlesex County, New York City, and New England at large, the region is a critical transportation hub and home to a wide variety of industries, ecosystems, and cultures. Today, many of its communities— including majority Black, Brown, and Latino/Latinx populations impacted by Superstorm Sandy in 2012—face high exposure to flooding and other climate-intensified risks.
Resilient New Jersey, a planning program administered through the client New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), is an initiative to develop a ‘roadmap’ for climate adaptation with clear strategies, actions, and implementation pathways guided by local input from underserved and under-resourced communities. For the Raritan River and Bay region—including Carteret, Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Sayreville, South River, and Woodbridge—the resulting action plan focused on pairing risk reduction projects with social, economic, and recreational value emphasizing natural and nature-based strategies where feasible, as well as potential funding sources.
Over two years, the multi-disciplinary team behind the plan held three virtual open houses, design workshops, community presentations and ongoing meetings with a steering committee of local stakeholders (including representatives from each of the seven municipalities) to ensure all proposed strategies aligned with the lived experiences and needs of residents and stayed rooted in equity and environmental justice goals. Resilient NJ is a roadmap to face these challenges and create a more resilient RRBC – one where critical facilities are protected, natural systems are restored, and new economies are enabled to grow.
