Climate Changed
Bill de Blasio Seeks to Flood-Proof Lower Manhattan by Adding Land
- Plan would augment $500 million of berms and storm barriers
- The area was flooded by Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge in 2012
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New York Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a $10 billion plan to push out the lower Manhattan coastline as much as 500 feet, or two city blocks, to protect from flooding that’s expected to become more frequent as global temperatures rise.
The project would protect the South Street Seaport and the Financial District, along the eastern edge of lower Manhattan, an area just 8 feet (2.4 meters) above the water line, de Blasio said. Portions of the extended land would be at 20 feet above sea level. The city can’t build flood protection on the existing land because it’s too crowded with utilities, sewers and subway lines, he said.