The MTA is preparing emergency response teams as New York prepares to ride out the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole on Friday afternoon.
Nicole, which made landfall early Thursday morning along Florida’s east coast as a Category 1 hurricane, is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to New York City.
The storm could flood parts of the city during evening commutes, and the MTA is trying to get ahead of any problems that may arise.
“Even with a system pumping millions of gallons of water on a dry day, NYC transit crews were at subway stations preparing for heavy rain on Thursday,” said Richard Davey of the NYC Transit Authority. the president said. “During storms, we have crew on standby to respond quickly to weather-related issues to make travel as easy as possible.”
According to a press release, officials have already “strategically pre-positioned weather response teams, including tracking and signaling experts, at key locations to respond to weather-related events that may occur.” It is working.
The metro system will have two trains capable of “high capacity pumps” and two additional trains designated for debris removal.
Crews are currently inspecting drains in flood-prone areas throughout the system, the MTA said in a release. New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Ischol also asked residents to help remove leaves and other debris from drains or to report clogged drains to 311. I was.
CERT volunteers (like Bassabi Bonfoh here in the Bronx) pre-clear the culverts. #Nicolewill arrive on Friday. Clean gutters and drains to prevent flooding. If you find the sump blocked, please report it here: https://t.co/QDOooxSgk7 pic.twitter.com/xUEngKwjSO
— NYC Emergency Management Commissioner (@NYCEMCommish) November 10, 2022
Similar measures have been taken for the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North, adding crews during the afternoon and evening hours.
Both commuter rails have “chainsaws for clearing fallen trees, pumps in case of flooded areas, and places and supplies to replace damaged utility poles and circuit breakers so that they can respond quickly to any situation.” facilities are provided to identify the availability of MTA said.
MTA officials will also monitor bus routes in five wards known to be prone to flooding and arrange diversions. Additional bus personnel will also be on standby if the metro is closed.
Beginning at 6pm on Friday, all empty tractor trailers and tandem trucks will also be prohibited from entering all seven MTA bridges, including the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, and both MTA Tunnels (Queens Midtown Tunnel and Hugh L. Carey Tunnel) it was done.
From 6pm, all empty tractor and tandem trailers are prohibited. @MTA The bridge is being built due to the expected high winds. Avoid unnecessary travel.
— NYCEM – Notify New York City (@NotifyNYC) November 11, 2022
The ban lasts until 6 p.m. Saturday. The pedestrian walkways leading to Rockaway from the Cross Bay Bridge and Marine Parkway Bridge will also be closed during this time. Depending on weather conditions, additional pedestrian walkways on other bridges may also be closed.
Authorities said they could enforce traffic and speed limits throughout the storm if necessary.
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul advised travelers to “take precautions and check local weather conditions before heading out” on Friday and Saturday.
“Beginning Friday night, the late-season weather system could bring 3 inches or more of rain in some areas. We encourage all New Yorkers to prepare for a flood event.” she said.
