New York Transit System Prepares for Full Shutdown

Bloomberg reports that New York City’s mass-transit system could shut down for much of the weekend if Hurricane Irene arrives as is currently predicted, Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Jay Walder said Thursday evening.

The transit agency, which runs the city’s subways, buses and several commuter trains, can’t guarantee the safety of riders and employees if sustained winds reach above 39 miles per hour, Walder said. Even a weakened Irene would bring winds in excess of that speed, making it likely that the MTA will start shutting down service Saturday morning. There could be lingering delays and service outages into Monday’s morning rush hour.

It takes at least eight hours to shut down the nation’s largest mass-transit system, Walder said. The MTA’s network of rail, subway and bridges stretches from Long Island’s East End to the Hudson Valley and up the Connecticut coast.

The subway system is especially vulnerable to flooding. On an average day, 13 million gallons of water are pumped out of it…. Who knew?

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2011/08/25/hurricane-irene-new-york-transit-system-prepares-for-full-shutdown/?mod=google_news_blog