Only one state park in New Jersey is 100% free (even parking) and offers a trifecta of New York City’s most iconic postcard views: the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island.
Liberty State Park in Jersey City is the most visited state park year-round and draws as many international and nationwide tourists as locals who have spent their entire lives in the greater Meadowlands region. With 1,212 acres, including 300 acres of lawns, picnic areas, playgrounds, and walking paths, Liberty State Park is an asset the state is prioritizing to protect from climate chaos.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is launching a multiyear effort to identify climate vulnerabilities and develop strategies to protect the state park from a variety of climate impacts, including severe storm surges, stormwater-driven flooding, and extreme heat. The project is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is part of the DEP’s Building a Climate Ready NJ initiative.
Nestled along the Hudson River, the park opened June 14, 1976, and is operated by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, under the NJDEP.
“Through this effort, we will be developing a comprehensive strategy to ensure the long-term protection of the crown jewel of New Jersey’s state park system from the worsening impacts of storms and flooding,” NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak said in a press release on Monday, Oct. 19.
“We will work closely with the community and all of our stakeholders to put forth a strong resilience plan that will serve residents and visitors for many years to come,” he added.
Climate Ready NJ
Building a Climate Ready NJ is part of the NJDEP’s Coastal Management Program, which collaborates with 15 partners across the Garden State to share knowledge, skills, and capabilities. With a common goal of advancing resiliency across the state’s 16 coastal counties, the program taps New Jersey-based partners’ competencies to support project planning, design, construction, and education.
The region has some of the country’s most densely developed areas, including New Jersey’s largest cities and most rural landscapes, as well as some of the state’s most ecologically critical coastal, estuarine, and riverine areas. The area also has diverse geographic and socio-economic community profiles, according to the release.
Liberty State Park Revitalization
The Liberty State Park Resilience Project is part of a broader Liberty State Park Revitalization Program, introduced at a recent open house that outlined strategies for resilience in relation to climate impacts. The initial phase aims to identify the park’s most vulnerable areas and determine the best ways to address them.
The project focuses on five key areas of the park, aiming to protect natural resources, improve ecosystem health, and ensure visitor access.
🗽Morris Pesin Drive Corridor and South Jetties
🏁Caven Point
💦Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area
⛲North Cove
🌳Morris Canal Park
Proposed strategies include constructing intertidal habitats, conserving and restoring wetlands, stabilizing shorelines, building raised boardwalks and roads, constructing bioretention basins and vegetated swales to capture stormwater, and planting trees and native plants to absorb stormwater and provide shade.
“As Liberty State Park celebrates its 50th year, developing a comprehensive climate resilience strategy is an important step in advancing the long-term vision established in the August 2025 Liberty State Park Master Plan,” said John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites.
Scope, Next Steps
The DEP plans to conduct site surveys over the winter, followed by design development and regulatory coordination in spring 2027, with the goal of developing a shovel-ready design by fall 2029.
The Liberty State Park Resilience Project will complement ongoing restoration of the more than 230-acre interior portion of the park through the creation and enhancement of freshwater wetlands, tidal wetlands, a tidal channel and upland maritime habitats. Once complete, the interior will include an integrated system of passive recreation opportunities, including trails, paths, wildlife observation structures and dedicated spaces for active recreation features.
View materials from the recent open house here. Feedback will be accepted online through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
Liberty’s Vulnerabilities to Climate Impacts
Frequent flooding during high-tide events and significant storms highlights the need to strengthen Liberty State Park’s resilience. Superstorm Sandy in late October 2012 caused extensive damage to the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal and submerged large portions of the park damaging walkways and infrastructure.
In September, a nor’easter’s storm surge flooded low-lying portions of the park, including parking lots and roads, and damaged the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway.
“The recent nor’easter was a reminder that Liberty State Park is already experiencing the effects of climate change, but those impacts are not limited to climate change-fueled major storms,” said Maggie McCann, DEP’s Administrator for Urban State Parks & Initiatives. “The park experiences sunny-day flooding on roads during high tides, and visitors and staff face extreme heat. Our open house provided an opportunity to better understand how climate impacts are affecting the park and its visitors and to identify strategies to help protect the park and keep it accessible for generations to come.”
Additionally, extreme heat is an increasing concern across New Jersey. During the July Fourth weekend celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, heat index values at Liberty State Park exceeded 100 degrees, and several visitors required treatment for heat-related illnesses, underscoring the need for resilience throughout New Jersey to address the year-round threats posed by extreme weather.
Other Liberty State Park Revitalization Updates
Saturday’s open house provided updates on other aspects of the ongoing park revitalization.
- Terminal Plaza Improvements: Improvements to the Terminal Plaza located at the end of Audrey Zapp Drive are nearing completion and the plaza is expected to open to park visitors later this fall. The redesigned plaza creates a welcoming experience for visitors with improved accessibility, additional seating, performance space and a clearly defined pathway to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. The project also improves water quality in the Hudson River Estuary by capturing and treating stormwater in raingardens before it reaches the river.
- Historic Train Shed Rehabilitation: Restoration of the Historic Train Shed has been advancing and will occur in phases over time. The initial phase is focused on the east side of the shed, which connects to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal Building. This work will create flexible gathering and event space with seating and opportunities for future interpretive programming. The concourse connecting the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal and the Historic Train Shed is also undergoing a significant restoration which includes extensive work to the steel structure, repairs to the roof, concrete floor and historic skylights, along with repointing of brickwork. The large rolling gates that separate the concourse from the Historic Train Shed will be restored and returned to operation once restoration of the train shed is complete.
- Electric Vehicle Chargers: Twenty-three electric vehicle charging spaces are being constructed in Lot 4 at the intersection of Morris Pesin Drive and Freedom Way. The lot will include Level 2 and Level 3 DC fast chargers, with 11 Level 2 spaces and 12 Level 3 spaces, including one space of each type designated for ADA-accessible parking. The Level 2 chargers are well suited for visitors planning to spend several hours at the park, providing a slower charge over a longer period. The Level 3 DC fast chargers can provide significantly more charge in a shorter amount of time, offering an option for visitors making shorter visits to the park.
