Increasing rainfall in New York, Federal aid decrease Mark II

New York City's Infrastructure Struggles Under Intense Rainfall

New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is facing challenges as it encounters storms with rainfall rates exceeding the design capacity of its infrastructure. The MTA was designed to manage rainfall rates of 1.7 inches per hour, but recent storms have seen rates of over 2 to 3 inches per hour.

This was evident on July 14, 2022, when Central Park recorded more than 2 inches of rain in a single hour – the second-highest amount ever recorded. Social media showed scenes of water cascading into subway stations and shooting up like geysers from overwhelmed sewer pipes.

The MTA has been working to strengthen its infrastructure against such events, having set aside over $7 billion to fortify it against storm surge flooding after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), worked in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide over 7 billion US dollars in federal funds for this purpose.

The MTA pumps out approximately 10 million gallons of water from the subway system on a dry day due to underground streams and working underground conditions. Many of the MTA's pump rooms are 40 to 50 years old and need to be upgraded to keep functioning and increase their capacity.

Investments in flood mitigation in recent years are showing a payoff in New York City's ability to bounce back from flash floods more quickly. The city is seeing a faster recovery from flash floods compared to previous years, which suggests that these investments are showing a payoff.

Sean Fitzpatrick, deputy chief of staff at MTA Construction & Development, stated that both the MTA and city's Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation worked together to address the floods caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021. Cars and trucks were partially submerged on some highways, and intersections in low-lying neighborhoods turned into lakes during the July floods in New York City.

Some low-tech adaptations made by the MTA include constructing a step up at street-level subway entrances and raising sidewalk ventilation grates to prevent water from flooding the tracks. The remnants of Hurricane Ida killed 13 people in 2021. There has been a 60% increase in extreme rain across the Northeast since the 1950s.

The MTA is counting on more federal dollars to build on the work they have already done. These changes were made possible with federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies. As New York City continues to face intense rainfall events, the ongoing efforts to strengthen its infrastructure will be crucial in ensuring the city's resilience against future storms.