For more than a century, the stretch of waterfront known as the Long Slip ran quietly beside Hoboken Terminal. It was a 2,000-foot barge canal cut into the edge of the Hudson River. Once bustling with marine and freight traffic serving the adjacent railyards, the canal eventually fell into disuse as shipping patterns shifted away from the Hoboken waterfront. It became stagnant and largely forgotten.
In 2012, Superstorm Sandy brought the Long Slip into public view. When the storm surge swept up the Hudson River, it funneled directly into the canal and through to the rail yard beyond, flooding critical commuter infrastructure and crippling train service. The event exposed how this dormant waterway had become a vulnerability and a direct flood path to one of the region’s busiest transportation hubs.
Today, that vulnerability is being turned into strength. Through NJ Transit’s Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project, the canal is being filled and re-engineered into a resilient, elevated rail yard and passenger platform complex designed to withstand future storms and strengthen the state’s commuter network.
Engineering resilience on the waterfront
Caption: A project map showing the proposed track layout for NJ TRANSIT’s Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project in Hoboken. The diagram highlights key rail yard features, future substation placement, and how the upgrades will improve service reliability and protect critical rail infrastructure from storm impacts.
Source: NJ TRANSIT Resilience Program, Long Slip Supplemental Environmental Assessment, June 2016.
The project is being delivered in phases and is currently in Phase 2. Phase 1 focused on eliminating the canal’s flood risk. Crews filled the 2,000-foot waterway and raised it 10.5 feet, which is above the Federal Emergency Management Agency base flood line. That work closed the gap that once allowed stormwater to surge directly into the yard.
At the same time, the municipal Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) outfall, part of Jersey City’s shared storm and sanitary system, was extended and redirected. The extension ensures that when major storms hit, the system can discharge overflow safely and in compliance with modern environmental standards, without compromising the new fill or flooding nearby rail infrastructure. Phase 1 was completed in mid-2023 and received industry recognition for its complexity and significance to the region’s transportation network.
With the fill in place, the project transitioned into Phase 2, which focuses on new commuter rail infrastructure. The rebuilt railyard will include six new tracks, three high-level ADA accessible passenger platforms, and a new personnel and passenger facility. Phase 2 also includes installation of supporting infrastructure such as power, signal, and communication systems. The design increases operational flexibility for NJ Transit’s Hoboken Division and provides additional layover capacity for trains that begin or end their trips at the terminal.
Complex construction in a confined environment
Source: NJ TRANSIT Resilience Program, Long Slip Supplemental Environmental Assessment, June 2016.
Caption: Construction teams work within the tight Hoboken waterfront corridor beside active rail lines.
Working within the Hoboken waterfront corridor presents unique challenges. The Long Slip sits immediately beside active Hudson Bergen Light Rail lines, multiple NJ Transit commuter tracks, and the PATH tunnels that run beneath the area. Each element of construction, from excavation to track alignment, must be carefully staged to avoid service disruptions or interference with underground structures.
To maintain safety and precision, the project uses extensive surveying, geotechnical monitoring, and coordination with multiple agencies, including Jersey City’s Municipal Utilities Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and NJ Transit’s Resilience and Capital Planning teams.
Building the next generation of rail infrastructure
Caption: A digital rendering of NJ TRANSIT’s Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project, showing the elevated rail embankment and new track configuration designed to eliminate the flood-prone canal.
Source: NJ TRANSIT Resilience Program, Long Slip Supplemental Environmental Assessment, June 2016.
The project is expected to reach completion in November 2028. Once finished, the new platforms will connect directly to Hoboken Terminal’s existing concourses, allowing passengers to access trains more efficiently and safely even during heavy rain or flood conditions.
The Long Slip project demonstrates how legacy infrastructure can be repurposed to meet modern climate risks. By eliminating a major flood pathway and adding new rail capacity in its place, NJ Transit is strengthening the resilience of one of the busiest nodes in the state’s transportation network. As storms intensify and coastal pressures rise, projects like this will play a central role in keeping New Jersey moving.
References
AECOM Technical Services. Track and Station Engineering and Construction Assist Services – Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project. NJ Transit Procurement Records.
E.E. Cruz & Company Inc. Phase 1 CSO Extension Contract Award (IFB 18-035X). NJ Transit Procurement Records.
NJ Transit. Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project Overview. NJ Transit Resilience Program.
STV Inc. Project of the Year – Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project.
YU & Associates Inc. NJ Transit Long Slip Canal Fill and Rail Enhancement.
Hudson County View. NJ Transit Board Approves Contracts for $213 Million Upgrades at Hoboken Terminal.
New Jersey Treasury. Hurricane Sandy Quarterly Report – Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project.
