New High-Tech Flood Barriers to Debut

By Y.M. Lowy

New York City is acquiring special flood barriers that deploy with the push of a button to help keep neighborhoods safe from major storms. The city will demonstrate how these barriers function this Monday near the Manhattan Bridge.

The system, part of the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resiliency project, features 97 deployable floodgates that flip up at the touch of a button. City officials will demonstrate the technology on Monday under the FDR Drive near the Manhattan Bridge, showing how the barriers can quickly rise to block storm surges.

The project is expected to be completed by 2026 and will integrate with another flood protection system to cover more of Manhattan’s coastline. The city is investing $349 million in this initiative to help prevent disasters like Superstorm Sandy.