Flood gate demo offers glimpse of future protection along the East River

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

A group of city officials and local leaders recently gathered along South Street under the FDR — between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges — for a first-hand look at the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project's future in action. 

Representatives from ESCR, the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC), and Community Board 3 were on hand as a temporary hydraulic switch was used to raise one of the new deployable flip-up barriers designed to protect Lower Manhattan from storm surges and rising sea levels.

This stretch of the East River is one of several key points along the ESCR zone, part of the first phase of "The Big U," the years-in-the-making $1.45 billion effort to build layered flood protection along Manhattan's vulnerable coastlines. 

The larger Big U project will eventually cover several miles, from Asser Levy Playground down around Battery Park City, blending protective infrastructure with new, raised park space. 

The demonstration site, situated just off the East River Esplanade, currently features exposed rebar where a permanent, protected panel box will be installed in the future. 

Once completed, the system will allow the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to deploy the gates quickly — within an hour — when severe weather threatens. The DEP will oversee gate operations, with a specially trained team dedicated to monitoring and managing deployments. 

The video below provides the best view of the gates in action.

 

Last fall, the city marked the completion of the first phase between 15th Street and Asser Levy Playground. Upgrades included a revamped Murphy Brothers Playground. 

Construction along the ESCR corridor is expected to be complete by 2026.