

Rail on guard: Metro-North prepares for threat of rising sea levels - d0ugie
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2014/04/22/rail-on-guard-metro-north-prepares-for-threat-of-rising-sea-levels/7987279/

======
gdubs
I grew up in the Hudson Valley -- this is truly one of the most beautiful
stretches in the world. At points, you're essentially surrounded by the river
on both sides.

I really think climate change needs to be presented to the public as an
economic problem. Our infrastructure is going to continue to get hammered,
costing billions, and we're essentially subsidizing it.

~~~
untog
_I really think climate change needs to be presented to the public as an
economic problem._

Doesn't matter. If you don't think it's going to happen it doesn't matter what
kind of problem it is...

~~~
gdubs
Never doubt the American Public's capacity for believing in anything that
comes directly out of their paycheck.

(But, yes -- it's a remarkably difficult sell, as we've seen.)

~~~
001sky
Prob is that waterfront real-estate in Westchester[1] is just white privledge.
And all waterfronts are geologically (not climate-related) unstable. So
basically rich white people want perpetual status-insurance. The climate angle
is a red-herring.

The economic cost of natural disasters--NY, CA, and FL--is all related to RE
development ("upscale") of unstable geography.

[1] Hudson Valley/Fairfield CT etc.

~~~
gdubs
Interesting point. In California this issue exists with high-end real estate
on mud-slide and fire-prone areas, like Malibu. Things that would make a
difference, like controlled burns, are fought by homeowners who don't want to
look at charred landscape -- and as a result the the LAFD spends enormous
resources on heroic measures. [1]

1:
[http://books.google.com/books/about/Ecology_of_fear.html?id=...](http://books.google.com/books/about/Ecology_of_fear.html?id=_WhrAKFa5aEC)

------
Brian-Puccio
> When these points fail, Metro-North — the nation's largest commuter railroad
> with 280,000 daily passengers — is completely cut off from Manhattan.

It's the nation's second largest when going by ridership (the number cited) to
the LIRR with 334,000 passengers[0]. Both the LIRR and Metro-North are
commuter rail systems for New York and are both MTA-owned/-operated, along
with the subway, bus[1], etc.

The MTA is launching a $120 million project to "storm-proof" the Long Beach
branch of the LIRR this year (among a myriad of other plans).[2]

[0]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_commuter_...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_commuter_rail_systems_by_ridership)

[1] Except out in the 'burbs, our buses got spun off and privatized somewhat
recently

[2] [http://www.thelirrtoday.com/2014/04/storm-proofing-long-
beac...](http://www.thelirrtoday.com/2014/04/storm-proofing-long-beach-
branch.html)

~~~
dylz
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_rapid_tra...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_rapid_transit_systems_by_ridership)

#1 and #2 spots differences in ridership..? Is that a typo?

~~~
Bahamut
I don't think so - NYC is just that busy of a city.

------
rlongstaff
I wonder how many climate-changer denier politicans will attempt to legislate
to prevent Metro-North from considering climate change in their future
planning - the same way NC did that:

[http://abcnews.go.com/US/north-carolina-bans-latest-
science-...](http://abcnews.go.com/US/north-carolina-bans-latest-science-
rising-sea-level/story?id=16913782)

~~~
Ygg2
Well, you may ignore the science, but you can't ignore effects it predicts.

