Paterson turns to green infrastructure to combat chronic flooding
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh joined representatives from The Nature Conservancy and Rutgers University on Wednesday to announce the Fair Street Green Street Project, a partnership designed to help manage stormwater and reduce flooding in one of the city's most vulnerable areas.
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For decades, heavy rain has transformed many of Paterson's streets into rivers, leaving residents to deal with flooded roadways, damaged vehicles and overwhelmed sewer systems. Now, city leaders are investing in a nature-based solution aimed at reducing those impacts.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh joined representatives from The Nature Conservancy and Rutgers University on Wednesday to announce the Fair Street Green Street Project, a partnership designed to help manage stormwater and reduce flooding in one of the city's most vulnerable areas.
"We're putting in green stormwater infrastructure, which is using nature to help mitigate environmental issues," project leaders said during the announcement.
The plan calls for landscaped planters and other green infrastructure features that will absorb rainwater before it enters the city's sewer system. By capturing and filtering stormwater on-site, officials hope to reduce flooding while easing pressure on Paterson's aging infrastructure.
According to project partners, Paterson's combined sewer system can become overwhelmed during heavy rain events, causing excess water to flow into the Passaic River.
"This project will help to manage the water through natural means and contain it on site, where it won't burden the sewer," officials explained.
For residents who have experienced flooding for years, the initiative offers a sense of optimism."This is the beginning of a new era," one resident said. "We need this all over Paterson. It will help keep flooding down because now we're getting flooded in areas that never used to flood."
City officials say the Fair Street Green Street Project will serve as a pilot program that could lead to similar improvements throughout Paterson.
Mayor Sayegh also emphasized the need for additional federal funding to address the city's aging infrastructure, much of which dates back more than a century.
"Too many people have experienced damage to their vehicles or have gotten caught in these floods where we've had to rescue them," Sayegh said. "We don't want to replay any of that going forward. Make it a priority, give us the funding, and we'll get the job done."
Construction on the project is expected to begin this fall, with completion anticipated by spring 2027.
