This master plan is comparable in scale to other major infrastructure projects essential to New York City’s future. These include the Gateway Program to expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor between Manhattan and New Jersey, or Water Tunnel No. 3, which will secure the city’s fresh water supply. The master plan will likely take 15 to 20 years to fully implement and cost approximately five to seven billion dollars. No one funding source will cover the entire cost; therefore, a variety of local, state, and federal sources—both existing and new—will need to be considered. Critically, the City will need to secure permits from state and federal entities to move forward. As a next step, the City will advance the design process and work closely with the community and regulators throughout future phases of work.

This moment belongs to all New Yorkers who work in, live in, travel through, and enjoy Lower Manhattan and want to help build a more resilient, livable city. This master plan is the first step toward closing a major gap in the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency strategy, but the work does not end here. New York City needs you—your vision, your advocacy, your participation—to make this master plan a reality.