Hoboken Storm Drains ‘Accidentally’ Paved Over by County Contractor — Right Before Flood Watch
By Jennifer Tripucka
For the past week, Hoboken has undergone construction and paving on the North end of town, closing Park Avenue to mill and pave, and causing much traffic commotion throughout the uptown area. The goal was to help with the paving of the street. However, not on the agenda was paving over drains in front of homes in the area — which is exactly what happened, and right before a tropical storm is coming to the area.
Hoboken is prone to flooding, so many residents, who shared their concerns on various forums and Facebook groups, are concerned.
A Nixle went out earlier on Tuesday, August 6th, sharing ways to prepare for the storm, including avoiding flood-prone areas.
“Intense rainfall of greater than 0.8 inch per hour could result in flooding in low-lying areas. Barricades have been deployed near flood-prone intersections. Do not walk or drive around barricades or through flooded areas,” it stated. The OEM asks all residents to report flooded intersections and clogged drain inlets by calling the NHSA Hotline at (866) 689-3970.
But, how can one report a clogged drain when it’s virtually //gone//? Many took to forums to share their frustrations.
In one such local Facebook group, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour shared, “Not only did the County Contractor pave over the drains, they also paved over the curbs in several places, so the people who live in the garden level apartments now have to worry about rainwater washing directly from the street into their homes.”