The coastal engineering strategy is to address climate change and sea level rise, and improve resilience along the shoreline of the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary and Port of New York and New Jersey. It will be built up to 6 metres (20 ft) above sea level and protect communities from coastal flooding of up to 15.6 feet (4.8 m) (two feet higher than that caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012). It will includes 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of buried seawall, 0.6 miles (0.97 km) of earthen levee tie-in, 0.35 miles (0.56 km) miles vertical flood wall, more than 300 acres (120 ha) of natural storage, approximately 180 acres (73 ha) of ponding areas and 40 acres (16 ha) acres of tidal wetlands. It will also function as a linear park/greenway with recreational amenities including a boardwalk, biking and walking paths, and will provide access to public beaches.[2]
Conflicts over environmental remediation has stalled the building of the project, originally projected to be completed in 2024.[9][10]
Federal legislation to expedite the construction of the seawall was passed in June 2022. It is expected to cost $1.5 billion.[11][12] Construction was slated to begin at the end of that year.[13]