The new boardwalk at Rockaway Beach shows how sea level rise is requiring new design and infrastructure decisions for the resilience of coastal communities.
"Beachgoers in this New York City oasis [of Rockaway Peninsula] can now flip-flop along a fully rebuilt boardwalk, one that reflects a coastal reimagination underway along the Mid-Atlantic and that heralds the staggering costs ahead of adapting to a changing climate," reports John Upton.
The old wooden boardwalk at Rockaway Beach "has been replaced by more than five miles of sand-toned concrete atop 50 million pounds of sandbags and a retaining wall that holds in place new sand dunes," writes Upton. The design will "protect residents and residences from storm surges."
The article includes in-depth reporting on the experience of Hurricane Sandy on Rockaway beach, along with all the details and context for the new boardwalk and coastal resilience project.
For more information on the fanfare for the project's opening to the public just before Momorial Day weekend, see articles by Bill Parry for the Times Ledger and Katie Honan for DNA Info.
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