Torrential rains on Sept. 29, 2023 wrought havoc around the city’s subway system, causing a number of stations to be flooded. climate plan released on Thursday.” outlines the challenges that North America’s largest mass transit system faces from the planet’s most existential concern: the changing climate.
“If we don’t take the proper precautions, we’ll end up with more disruptions from extreme weather events and deteriorating service levels even on sunny days, due to the deterioration of our infrastructure,” Torres-Springer continued. “A lot of our $1.5 trillion system is at risk now and in the future.”
Many of the upgrades that could make a huge difference in a serious rainstorm are relatively simple and cheap, but add up given the vastness of the city’s transit network. Those include raising the top step of street entrances to the subway or of vent coverings to prevent water seeping into the system. Others, like ensuring catch basins are clear before storms, require collaboration between the MTA, a state authority that is de facto run by the governor, and the city government.
Investments are also needed on the commuter railroads, with perhaps the most endangered being Metro-North’s Hudson Line, which is almost entirely adjacent to the Hudson River. Extreme weather brought extended service disruptions twice last year on the line — once after