Summary
The Fort Tilden Shore Access and Resiliency Project case study evaluates the variables that affect the business case for sustainably improving resilience of a coastal national park while maintaining accessibility and safety considerations. Fort Tilden is a former U.S. Army installation in Queens New York and is now part of the Gateway National Recreation Area administered by the National Park Service (NPS). Fort Tilden serves as active and passive open space, includes historic resources, and provides coastal habitat. The park experienced significant damages from hurricane Sandy, which displaced the foredune system, exposed the bulkhead and groin system, damaged historic buildings, and compromised safety and access. In response to the hurricane damages, the NPS initiated a project to understand the potential impacts from future storms on existing natural and cultural resources, infrastructure, and safety of surrounding communities. The NPS developed a full range of alternatives that included an evaluation of resilience, sustainability, and cost efficiency, with the goal to use this project as a guide for siting and designing future coastal protection measures. The resulting solution, seeks to balance the various goals and objectives, addressing the potential impacts from future storms on existing natural and cultural resources, infrastructure, and on the safety of surrounding communities.
Research director
Prof. Spiro Pollalis
Research core team
Judith Rodriguez, ENV-SP
Case study written by
Judith Rodriguez, ENV-SP
