Business owners, residents and tourists in Dumbo are bracing for a major construction project that the city says will last for at least five years, but a group of students was working this weekend to help alleviate the impact.

NYU Tandon MakerSpace is a design lab where engineering students have been at work in the MAKERHACK Competition.

Organizers say about 90 students from NYU and other schools including Cooper Union, Columbia and Kingsborough Community college have been working in teams to help provide solutions for Dumbo.

The neighborhood will soon undergo major construction to address flooding and other issues. Because of the five-year length of the project, many are concerned that the work will disrupt the quality of life, small businesses and tourism in the area.

Officials are hoping the engineering students can come up with some fresh ideas -- such as how can they communicate with residents on where roads will be dug up.

Teams of three or four students were brainstorming ideas that could be physical or digital, and students were urged to be as innovative as possible during the competition.

The top three teams will win more than $5,000 in prizes.