The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced its 10-year climate mitigation plan on Thursday, saying it needs about $6 billion to carry out all the upgrades the system needs.
The Climate Resilience Roadmap report is comprised of a climate vulnerability assessment and 10 climate resilience goals targeted to address the magnitude of climate threats facing MTA infrastructure, according to a news release.
Some interventions 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," said MTA Chief Executive Officer Janno Lieber. "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.”
Since SuperStorm Sandy in 2012, the MTA has invested $7.6 billion in repairs and coastal surge protections, according to the report.
