New York Driftshield Project

The New York Debris Shield Project (the Drift Shield) is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) initiative under the New York Harbor Collection and Removal of Drift Program—built to protect critical infrastructure and waterways from hazardous debris. Installed beneath bridges and elevated structures, its safety-net assembly intercepts hazardous debris during construction and maintenance.

Drift Shield is designed to survive in harsh, marine environments; thus, the system utilizes hot-dip galvanizing to ASTM A123 for nearly all steel. Galvanized components include steel U-hangers, bolts, washers, and nuts (ASTM A325M); wire rope clips (ASTM A36M); welded wire mesh safety netting; border plates; and chain-link fencing (AASHTO M181). Extra-improved plow-steel wire-rope cables (3/8-inch diameter; 14,800 lb breaking strength) provide structural tensioning. Galvanizing delivers the corrosion resistance and low-maintenance performance the site demands.

Total steel for the Drift Shield assembly – frames, mesh, cables, and hardware – is approximately 35–50 tons, with roughly 90–95% (about 32–47 tons) hot-dip galvanized. That high galvanizing percentage reflects the Drift Shield’s intended use – engineered for constant exposure and long service life. The result is a robust debris-containment system built from hot-dip galvanized steel that protects people, infrastructure, and the environment is one of the busiest harbor regions in the United States.