Hoboken Sinkhole Update: City Says When Repairs Will Start

HOBOKEN, NJ — After a sinkhole opened up on Sinatra Drive in Hoboken on Friday — near the waterfront — the city sent a Nixle message to residents on Saturday afternoon.

A city public safety spokesperson, Marci Rubin, told Patch on Saturday, "[Repairs] will begin Tuesday and as a result, the waterfront walkway will be closed from Seventh to Ninth Streets until the repairs are complete. This is expected to take several weeks. Pedestrians are encouraged to avoid that section of the walkway during repairs. The adjacent roadway has been deemed safe for vehicular traffic and as of now, is expected to remain open during repairs."

She noted that Sinatra Drive is undergoing a redesign. Information is here.

Prior reporting on the sinkhole from Friday is here: Sinkhole Opens Up On Sinatra Drive In Hoboken

The city's full message to residents is below.

City's Message To Residents

Last night at approximately 4 p.m., a sinkhole was discovered along the Hudson River waterfront walkway, in Hoboken. City engineers promptly responded and, with the assistance of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Hoboken Police, secured the affected area, which is located in a parking spot on Sinatra Drive, along the walkway.

This morning, marine engineers and divers conducted a thorough inspection of the area and the bulkhead. It was determined that repairs are necessary and will commence on Tuesday. As a result, the waterfront walkway will be closed from Seventh to Ninth streets in the coming weeks to facilitate these repairs. Pedestrians are encouraged to avoid this section of the walkway during this period. The adjacent roadway has been deemed stable to support vehicular traffic, and as of now is expected to remain open during repairs.

Out of an abundance of caution, engineers will also be conducting inspections of bulkheads from First to 14th street to ensure the continued safety and integrity of the waterfront infrastructure.

The City appreciates everyone's cooperation as it works diligently to address the situation. Updates regarding the progress of repairs and any changes to the closure area can be found on the City's construction website here: https://www.hobokennj.gov/hoboken-construction-updates.

The City of Hoboken remains committed to prioritizing major upgrades to infrastructure and the waterfront, and that includes the Sinatra Drive Redesign Project, currently undergoing final approvals by the State of New Jersey. The redesign plan will improve access and safety along the 0.7-mile waterfront corridor utilizing green infrastructure and Vision Zero upgrades. The final concept includes a repaving of the roadway, a two-way protected bikeway from Fourth Street to Sinatra Drive North, safer pedestrian crossings,164 trees planted, and additional parking near the residential areas at the northern and southern ends of the project.

For more information on the City's Sinatra Drive Redesign project, including renderings of the final design, please see here:
https://sinatra-drive-improvements-cityofhoboken.hub.arcgis.com/.

More Information

Other sinkholes have opened in Hoboken through the years, including one last year near ongoing water main work. The city is working to fix the century-old underground infrastructure.

In 2017, a sinkhole swallowed an SUV in the mile-square city.