Securing the Holland Tunnel against future storm surges

The Holland Tunnel is one of the busiest vehicular tunnels in the United States, connecting New Jersey and Manhattan and serving approximately 90,000 vehicles every day. Following the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey launched an extensive resilience program to protect this critical transportation link from future storm surges—without compromising daily operations.

Customer

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) owns and operates the Holland Tunnel, one of the busiest vehicular tunnels in the United States. Connecting New Jersey and Manhattan, the tunnel carries approximately 90,000 vehicles every day and is a critical part of the region’s transportation network.

Challenge

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused one of the most severe flooding events in the Holland Tunnel’s history. Approximately 30 million gallons of brackish and saltwater entered the tunnel complex, with water levels reaching up to nine feet above the roadway near the north tube entrance.

The flooding caused extensive damage to electrical and mechanical equipment, communications and lighting systems, pump stations, fire alarms and structural components. The tunnel remained closed for approximately ten days, resulting in lost toll revenue and major disruption across the New York metropolitan area.

PANYNJ needed a long-term flood protection solution that could withstand future storm surges without restricting traffic or interfering with daily tunnel operations.

Solution

As part of a $364.2 million rehabilitation and climate-resiliency program, AquaFence supplied approximately 1,500 linear feet of deployable flood barriers. The barriers range in height from four to nine feet—V1200 to V2700—with each height selected according to local terrain and required flood elevations.

The AquaFence system was integrated with permanent concrete flood walls. When severe weather approaches, the deployable barriers close the openings between the permanent structures, creating a continuous flood-protection perimeter. During normal conditions, the barriers are stored away, allowing unrestricted access to the tunnel.

The solution forms part of a coordinated three-layer protection strategy:

1. Permanent flood walls and deployable AquaFence barriers provide the primary defense.

   
   

2. High-capacity pumps remove rainfall and any water accumulating within the protected area.

   
   

3. Flexible membrane barriers at the tunnel portals provide a final line of defense.

Collaboration

AquaFence worked closely with general contractor Tully Construction over approximately three years to deliver and integrate the flood-barrier system.

The collaboration required the deployable barriers to function seamlessly alongside the permanent flood walls, pumping systems and secondary membrane barriers. This coordinated approach ensured that the different protection measures operate as one comprehensive system while preserving the tunnel’s accessibility and daily operations.

Results

The Holland Tunnel is now significantly better prepared for future coastal flooding and storm-surge events.

The completed solution provides:

• Protection for critical transportation infrastructure

• Rapid deployment ahead of major storms

• Unrestricted tunnel access during normal operations

• Reduced risk of catastrophic flood damage

• Greater long-term resilience to climate-related flooding

  
  

By combining permanent infrastructure with flexible, deployable protection, PANYNJ has strengthened one of the region’s most important transportation assets without compromising its day-to-day operation.