NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The MTA announced its plan to strengthen the transit system against climate change impacts on Thursday.
The Climate Resilience Roadmap was developed in response to urgent climate threats and outlines 10 core goals to address the challenges facing MTA infrastructure, according to a press release.
“Our transit systems are being directly impacted by climate change, from mudslides on the Hudson Line to flooding in our subways and busways.” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “The Climate Resiliency Roadmap is an essential component of making sure our critical infrastructure can withstand extreme weather events and keep New Yorkers moving safely.”
The plan aims to protect the subway from flooding, minimize flooding on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road, and safeguard infrastructure from extreme heat, with estimated costs up to $6 billion over the next decade.
The roadmap outlined the necessary steps, which include:
- Shielding subways from torrential rain by installing mitigations like raised steps and elevated street vents to prevent stormwater from entering the subway system.
- Investing in subway drainage and pumping equipment to remove stormwater that does enter the system.
- Protecting subway yards and bus depots by elevating sensitive equipment above anticipated flood depths in areas that must remain operational during weather-related emergencies.
- Addressing heat impacts on bridges by continuing existing efforts to protect metallic components from expansion due to prolonged heat exposure.
- Advancing proactive measures to reduce the impacts of monthly tidal floods and rain on regional railroad infrastructure exacerbated by climate change-induced sea level rise.
“Transit is the antidote to climate change, which is why we have to preserve and improve New York’s amazing subway, bus and commuter rail systems,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “But our transit system is still vulnerable to the effects of climate change, so we need to execute on this visionary resiliency plan, which has been designed to ensure the reliability and safety of New York’s transit system for years to come.”