The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recently announced an initiative designed to protect the Hudson Line from the effects of climate change.
The Metro-North Hudson Line Climate Resilience Blueprint will rebuild critical infrastructure and will outline design guidance and actions to protect against future storm water runoff, tidal floods and other risks. Work will include culverts, drainage, retaining walls, slopes, shorelines, and track, and guidance includes standards for waterfront shoreline improvements, performance criteria for drainage, and target track elevations.
The stretch most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather is 20 miles between Riverdale and Croton-Harmon. Eighty percent of the Hudson Line will be at increased risk of flooding by the 2050s because of more frequent severe weather events and rising sea levels, according to Metro-North.
“Securing the next generation of great public transit along the Hudson Line means investing in infrastructure to protect Metro-North from climate change,” Jamie Torres-Springer, MTA construction and development president, said. “The Hudson Line Climate Resilience Blueprint will give us a clear path to make our service stronger and more reliable, and we’re excited to share our vision with the commuters who depend on it.”
MTA will host a series of open houses on the plan beginning on April 23.