Gov. Chris Christie has marked the completion of $143 million system of levees and flood walls in New Jersey.

Joined by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin and Army Corps of Engineer officials, Christie unveiled the Green Brook Flood Risk Management Project on Monday.

The flood-prevention measures include 8,500 feet of levees, two flood walls and two pumping stations near Bound Brook, a town along the Raritan River. 

Bound Brook has frequently been hit by floods, including a particularly devastating one stemming from Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999 that destroyed buildings and sparked fires.

The new system is FEMA-certified, which means Bound Brook residents will no longer need to buy flood insurance.

"Living without peace of mind in your home, in your schools, in your community is no way to live," Gov. Christie said. "These projects will help to restore that peace of mind to people, so that they'll know that if another storm comes, we're much more resilient and much better protected than we were before.

The governor added that the project was part of a bigger effort to protect about a dozen towns across three counties in northern New Jersey. When the system is fully completed, it will protect 65 miles of lowland from flooding.