Weehawken Pier Design

McLaren Engineering Group provided design and engineering services for New Jersey’s new $3.1 million Weehawken Pier, which opened in 2016. This recreational pier project stretches nearly 500 feet into the Hudson River, directly opposite the Empire State Building. McLaren developed a unique “pod” design concept for the pier with a series of platforms and interconnected walkways, providing a variety of recreational destination points for visitors. The pier boasts five pods connected by 10-foot-wide walkways. A kayak pod offers launch space for kayakers, and a raised hexagonal pod creates a viewing area of New York City and the surrounding waterfront. Additional pods are designed for fishing and educational visits. The pods range in size from 700 to 2,500 square feet.

The McLaren Difference: Applied Ingenuity

McLaren developed a groundbreaking “pier pod” design concept as a bold, revolutionary new way to construct piers, compared to traditional box-like configurations. Because there is less structure, a pier designed this way is more cost-effective to build and offers the ability to expand easily. Visitors benefit from numerous walkways and seating options, as well as stronger lighting—providing an enjoyable, safe way to view the Manhattan skyline. McLaren and the Township of Weehawken, NJ received a first-place award from the New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers for the design of the pier.

Additional Services

McLaren Engineering Group also provided a flood plain impact study and flood plain mapping.