Harlem Riverbank Restoration and Bike Path, New York, N.Y.
An innovative $4 million restoration project along the Harlem River created a cost-effective, durable and ecologically friendly shoreline that serves as a model for future projects.
Along the Harlem River between 139th and 145th Streets in Manhattan, the steel sheet-pile wall securing the riverbank suffered extensive corrosion and developed holes. Watering entering the holes at high tide and exiting at low tide removed soil from behind the walls, creating large sinkholes that swallowed pavements and plantings along the neglected riverfront.