MTA New York City Transit has received two
Federal Transit Administration grants totaling $57,141,634 for two major
storm resiliency projects in subway stations: a new emergency
communications system and a hardening project to protect station rooms
that are critical to service delivery.
“Superstorm Sandy brought unprecedented disruption to the New York subway system – but now we are building the system back better and stronger than before,” said Governor Cuomo. “This funding helps us move forward with critical upgrades that will keep the system running and keep travelers safe during an emergency. This is about strengthening our infrastructure with the next storm in mind, and I am thankful for the support of our federal partners in this effort.”
When Superstorm Sandy swept through the New York metropolitan area in October 2012, it left behind extensive damage to NYC Transit facilities throughout the subway system. A record storm surge inundated tunnels, filling critical operations rooms that housed electric equipment for signals, relays and communications with highly corrosive saltwater. In addition to causing mass flooding in stations and tunnels, the storm also exposed a need for a better and faster way for supervisors to communicate with crew members and customers in times of emergency. Even after three years and thousands of hours of labor spent to repair and restore service to pre-Sandy levels, the subway system has yet to fully recover, with many Sandy-related repairs still to be made.
“These federal grants enable New York City Transit’s recovery from a devastating storm by funding critical improvements and repairs for a system that moves six million people a day,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “The MTA’s goal is to make the subway system stronger and more resilient than ever if and when we face another historic storm like Sandy. To do that, we look to our federal partners to help us protect a trillion-dollar asset that powers the New York region, and we thank the FTA for acknowledging how vitally important the New York subway system is to the city and its people.”
“Superstorm Sandy brought unprecedented disruption to the New York subway system – but now we are building the system back better and stronger than before,” said Governor Cuomo. “This funding helps us move forward with critical upgrades that will keep the system running and keep travelers safe during an emergency. This is about strengthening our infrastructure with the next storm in mind, and I am thankful for the support of our federal partners in this effort.”
When Superstorm Sandy swept through the New York metropolitan area in October 2012, it left behind extensive damage to NYC Transit facilities throughout the subway system. A record storm surge inundated tunnels, filling critical operations rooms that housed electric equipment for signals, relays and communications with highly corrosive saltwater. In addition to causing mass flooding in stations and tunnels, the storm also exposed a need for a better and faster way for supervisors to communicate with crew members and customers in times of emergency. Even after three years and thousands of hours of labor spent to repair and restore service to pre-Sandy levels, the subway system has yet to fully recover, with many Sandy-related repairs still to be made.
“These federal grants enable New York City Transit’s recovery from a devastating storm by funding critical improvements and repairs for a system that moves six million people a day,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “The MTA’s goal is to make the subway system stronger and more resilient than ever if and when we face another historic storm like Sandy. To do that, we look to our federal partners to help us protect a trillion-dollar asset that powers the New York region, and we thank the FTA for acknowledging how vitally important the New York subway system is to the city and its people.”
As part of the ongoing process to fix and
fortify the system against future catastrophic weather events like
Sandy, NYC Transit plans to replace the current emergency booth
communication system that provides emergency and security communications
between train supervisors and personnel across the subway system.
The first grant of $52,425,000 funds a new state-of-the-art system that will provide instant communication between station agents and Rail Control Center supervisors and enable direct communication between customers and supervisors system-wide in the event of an emergency. The project includes installation of the new system at the Rail Control Center and at all subway stations; new work areas at subway, bus and electronic maintenance centers; and connection and integration with existing service delivery technology in use at NYC Transit.
MTA will match that federal grant with $17,475,000 in funds from the 2010-2014 Capital Program, for a total cost of $69.9 million.
During Sandy, vulnerabilities in low-lying or flood-prone parts of the system led to flooding that spread to other areas, putting at risk crucial components to service delivery.
A second grant of $4,716,634, with a $1,572,211 match from the MTA, will fund the hardening of critical station rooms to prevent widespread flooding elsewhere in the system from breaching areas that house sensitive electronic equipment. This includes storm resiliency measures to protect station facility rooms at the Federal Emergency Management Agency 100-year flood level, plus one foot, but NYC Transit will seek to exceed this level whenever possible. The design will seal conduits; move vents; add watertight or marine doors, and install drains and valves.
This grant covers work for up to 21 rooms at four stations and is intended to pay for the first phase of a station-hardening project that will ultimately improve the flood resiliency of a total of 54 rooms located at Canal St 1; Canal St ACE; the Canal St 6JNQRZ station complex; and Franklin St 1.
The first grant of $52,425,000 funds a new state-of-the-art system that will provide instant communication between station agents and Rail Control Center supervisors and enable direct communication between customers and supervisors system-wide in the event of an emergency. The project includes installation of the new system at the Rail Control Center and at all subway stations; new work areas at subway, bus and electronic maintenance centers; and connection and integration with existing service delivery technology in use at NYC Transit.
MTA will match that federal grant with $17,475,000 in funds from the 2010-2014 Capital Program, for a total cost of $69.9 million.
During Sandy, vulnerabilities in low-lying or flood-prone parts of the system led to flooding that spread to other areas, putting at risk crucial components to service delivery.
A second grant of $4,716,634, with a $1,572,211 match from the MTA, will fund the hardening of critical station rooms to prevent widespread flooding elsewhere in the system from breaching areas that house sensitive electronic equipment. This includes storm resiliency measures to protect station facility rooms at the Federal Emergency Management Agency 100-year flood level, plus one foot, but NYC Transit will seek to exceed this level whenever possible. The design will seal conduits; move vents; add watertight or marine doors, and install drains and valves.
This grant covers work for up to 21 rooms at four stations and is intended to pay for the first phase of a station-hardening project that will ultimately improve the flood resiliency of a total of 54 rooms located at Canal St 1; Canal St ACE; the Canal St 6JNQRZ station complex; and Franklin St 1.
Senator Charles E. Schumer said:
“We all know the subway system is the lifeblood of New York City. When
Sandy’s floodwaters inundated three major subway tunnels with thousands
of gallons of water, it was a major blow. Sandy’s devastation demanded
we rebuild New York in a stronger and more resilient way in order to
protect ourselves against future storms. This federal funding will
protect the power grids that keep our subway system working while
ensuring instant communication at Rail Control Centers during a major
storms. This funding and these efforts will make commuting safer and
service better for countless New Yorkers.”
Congresswoman Kathleen Rice said:
“Superstorm Sandy crippled the city’s transportation system and
revealed major vulnerabilities in both its physical infrastructure and
emergency communications capabilities. I’m pleased to see this federal
investment in the resilience of a transportation system that so many
people throughout the region rely on every day, and I’ll continue
working with our state and federal partners to ensure that we learn from
what we experienced during Sandy and take action to better prepare for
future storms.”
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney said:
“New Yorkers always greet adversity with strength, courage, and
resiliency. I have worked with communities and local stakeholders to
rebuild stronger communities after Superstorm Sandy and invest in our
neighbors and our economy. Critical investments like these will ensure
that our communities are prepared for future storms and will enhance the
safety of New Yorkers. Working closely with Governor Cuomo, I have no
doubt that we will continue to make progress towards full recovery and
preparedness for natural disasters like Sandy.”
Both of these grants were awarded through a
competitive application process by the FTA through the Disaster Relief
Appropriations Act of 2013, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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