Transportation During and After Hurricane Sandy

Abstract

Hurricane Sandy demonstrated the strengths and limits of the transportation infrastructure in New York City and the surrounding region. As a result of the timely and thorough preparations by New York City and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), along with the actions of city residents and emergency workers to evacuate and adapt, the storm wrought far fewer casualties than might have occurred otherwise. The MTA and New York City Police Department, Departments of Transportation, Environmental Protection, and Sanitation worked quickly to pump water out of tunnels, repair infrastructure, enforce bus lanes, and clear debris. They also informed riders of service updates and the status of infrastructure, particularly with up-to-date maps, photos and videos provided by the MTA. The experience of Hurricane Sandy reinforced the importance of having multiple modes of transportation in the New York Region: subways, buses, bridges and tunnels, ferries, as well as commuter rail systems in moving people in, through and out of New York City and the surrounding region. Hurricane Sandy also highlighted key investments and policies that should be considered to assure the viability of the infrastructure during future disasters: (1) Install backup power for subway pumps; (2) Consider the use of porous pavement for streets in flood-prone areas; and (3) Locate building generators and fuel sources in flood prone areas on higher floors.