As the effects of climate change begin to be felt in the NYMTC planning area, the implementation of adaptation strategies to protect transportation infrastructure has become necessary.

These strategies may include specific projects, programs or plans, or may involve studies and assessments for improving the resiliency of the region's vast, yet vulnerable, transportation system.

Programs and Projects

Damage caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee the previous year drove home the importance of developing and implementing resiliency strategies. Following are examples underway in the NYMTC region.

Vulnerability and Adaptation

New York – New Jersey – Connecticut
Hurricane Sandy Follow-up and Transportation Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Analysis

Funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the goal of this project is to assess the impacts of Superstorm Sandy, (and to some extent Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and the Halloween Nor’easter in 2011) on the transportation assets within the greater New York- New Jersey - Connecticut metropolitan region and identify adaptation strategies to increase the resilience of those assets to the impacts of extreme weather events and the possible future impacts of climate change The project will also perform a gap analysis for the region, consolidate data sources and information, and identify critical areas and transportation assets generally.

click to download PDF → Scope of Work

 

NYC Climate Resiliency

Two climate resilience strategic studies were produced by New York City under the Sustainable Communities Initiative.
 

Designing for Flood Risk identifies key principles to guide the design of new buildings in flood zones to promote construction that can not only withstand coastal flood events, but also supports the vibrancy of the urban public realm.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sustainable_communities/sustain_com6.shtml

Urban Waterfront Adaptive Strategies provides a systematic assessment of the coastal flood hazards that face New York City, a thorough survey of coastal protection and adaptation strategies that may be suitable for different shoreline and neighborhood types, and a framework for evaluating coastal protection alternatives.


http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sustainable_communities/sustain_com7.shtml 

 
Emergency Relief Projects

Federally funded projects to address damage from Superstorm Sandy and enhance resilience.
 

click to download PDF → New York City

click to download PDF → Mid-Hudson South

click to download PDF → Nassau/Suffolk
 

Links

Following are links to resiliency and adaptation resources and projects and plans being undertaken by NYMTC's member agencies:

click to download PDF →