Ocean City Unveils Major Flood Control Projects

OCEAN CITY, NJ - Ocean City officials unveiled a comprehensive flood mitigation plan Saturday to aid neighborhoods that are vulnerable to severe flooding.

The infrastructure improvements are scheduled over the next five years and will cost $25 million, according to City Business Administrator George Savastano.

The flood control strategies include new drainage systems, berms, pump stations and road construction to prevent flooding in low-lying neighborhoods.

“There is a lot of work to do and to keep it simple, if you don’t take care of your car or house, if you don’t maintain them, they fall apart,” Mayor Jay Gillian said Saturday during a virtual town hall with city officials and the public.

Savastano said the cost of the plan will not affect the funding for the city’s overall capital plan. He added that the plan aims to avoid “significant spikes” in local taxes.

“We believe it’s achievable from a funding standpoint and we can certainly do it from an engineering standpoint,” Savastano said.

The planned improvements align with a Rutgers University report that established benchmarks for flood mitigation planning in New Jersey. According to the report, sea levels are predicted to rise 0.2 to 0.5 inches annually over the next 30 years.

In addition to sea level changes, storm intensity and frequency, ground elevations, ecological health, habitat changes, storm resiliency and groundwater elevation were factored into the design of planned improvements.

The construction schedule of major projects was shared in a visual presentation:

• 9th Street to 18th Street: September 2021 - May 2022
• Merion Park: December 2021 - May 2022
• West 17th Street: September 2022 - May 2023
• 18th Street to 26th Street: September 2023 - May 2024
• Ocean City Homes: September 2024 - May 2025
• 36th Street to 52nd Street: September 2025 - December 2025

Savastano said other smaller-scale projects are in progress city-wide to address specific flooding situations, and those projects will continue alongside the major projects proposed by the city.

During the question-and-answer session of the meeting, Ocean City residents shared their concerns about flooding in the city, specifically addressing how the frequency of flooding in their neighborhoods has increased in recent years.

Jerry Rainey said the number of times water inundates his home on Waterway Road has doubled over the past two years, with as many as six days of flooding each month.

“The drains just can’t drain it away quick enough," Rainey said. "It takes forever for it to go away."

Another resident, Albert Grimes, complained about the surge of flooding near the corner of 26th Street and Haven Avenue.

“We have to wade to get into our house up to our knees. We experienced that four times this year,” Grimes said.

City officials advised residents that older drainage systems in these areas will be examined to ensure they are working properly, specifically along 26th Street, which is one of the lowest-lying areas on the island, according to Savastano.

Trevor Jackson expressed concern for the safety of elderly people and children living near parts of Haven Avenue that flood easily.

“I’m worried about in the event of emergencies,” Jackson said. “Per your schedule, we’re looking at three years away from having this addressed and it appears it’s only getting worse at this point in time,” Jackson said.

Gillian said Ocean City’s emergency vehicles are equipped to reach residents despite flooding conditions.

“The one thing that everyone can be assured with our police and fire department, is they will get to you,” Gillian said.

To conclude the meeting, Gillian said the conversation about flood control will be ongoing and encouraged residents to contact city officials with additional concerns.

“We have groundwater, we have tidal water, we have rain. We got water coming in from every way. We are going to address it timely, and in a manner that’s fiscally responsible.” Gillian said.

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