What to know
- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said nearly half of its subway stations were flooded during the last four major storms that hit the city in recent years. And now the agency is outlining its plan to prevent that kind of thing from happening again.
- In total, the MTA said 200 stations were flooded during major storms, representing nearly half of all stations systemwide. In 2023, 88 stations experienced some type of flooding and 22 stations were labeled as problematic and in need of major improvements.
- Given growing challenges ranging from storms to heat, the MTA plans to release a new climate plan in March.
NEW YORK — It’s a sight that has become all too familiar to New York City subway riders every time it rains: water pouring into a subway station, coming in from the ceiling, the walls and sometimes even through of floor drains.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said nearly half of its subway stations were flooded during the last four major storms that hit the city in recent years. And now the agency is outlining its plan to prevent that kind of thing from happening again.
In total, the MTA said 200 stations were flooded during major storms, representing nearly half of all stations systemwide. In 2023, 88 stations experienced some type of flooding and 22 stations were labeled as problematic and in need of major improvements.
“This is on our radar, in the case of stormwater flooding,” said Eric Wilson of MTA Climate Resilience.
Flooding also wreaked havoc on Metro-North service during the storms. In early January, the MTA showed off a temporary solution to the problem: rubber mat ditches.
The transit agency has been constantly testing station drains and asking other city agencies to clean catch basins, hoping this will help with flooding in some parts. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said he believes those measures have bought the agency some time.
The MTA is likely to ask state lawmakers for billions of dollars in the next capital plan to address the problem. At a board meeting Wednesday, transit officials provided new information about the flooding, as well as another major impact of climate change: rising temperatures.
A high-powered fan blared on a winter day inside an MTA communications room at the Wall Street station, revealing a costly reality.
“We have to make a significant investment and that includes air conditioning in those rooms… it’s a concern. We have 495 communication rooms,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “We’re really sounding the alarm.”
The reason the fan was running on Wednesday inside the room that controls the train radios? Even though temperatures outside were around 40 degrees, it was still 93 degrees inside. MTA officials said it is concerning when the temperature exceeds 100 degrees.
“These are old systems, you’re not cooling them; we’re at risk,” Lieber said.
Given growing challenges ranging from storms to heat, the MTA plans to release a new climate plan in March.
2024-02-01 01:59:46
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