Can Maplewood Village enhance the cultural and social core?
Image 16: Downded Trees in Maplewood Post Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy became a true test of resiliency
trees, extended periods without power, very little
for Maplewood. In October 2012 it devastated
public transportation and shortages of gas. This
the Northeastern United States. Classified as
dark period exposed Maplewood’s problematic
the eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane
aging infrastructure, such as the exposed power
and second major hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic
lines, which were knocked down by the wind,
season, Sandy touched down as a category three
and the large fallen rees. What at one time was
storm. At nearly 75 billion dollars in damage, it
perceived as an asset can just as easily become
is only second to Katrina among the costliest
a hazard during an emergency. In response to
hurricanes on record. Due to the unprecedented
the damage, the power and gas companies
nature of the path the storm took, the majority of
opted to shut off service to prevent further long
communities in the North East did little to prepare
term disruption. With the transportation and
for what became known after as “super storm
power infrastructure down, the residents of
sandy.� This was the first-ever recorded hurricane
Maplewood turned to their public facilities, such
to directly hit New Jersey.
as the library, municipal buildings, and schools
In the aftermath, the town saw numerous felled
for relief. Considering that a large portion of
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Re-Thinking Maplewood, NJ