New Jersey Transit will receive $843,750 in federal funds to develop a validated forecast and warning system, in partnership with Stevens Institute of Technology located in Hoboken, N.J., one of the cities severely affected by the impact of storm surge due to Superstorm Sandy in late October 2012.
Funding for The warning system effort, announced Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, is to provide real-time information on the potential magnitude of surge events, and is planned to aiding time-sensitive and location-specific protocols for NJ Transit's overall emergency response plan.
In the storm's aftermath, NJ Transit was severely criticized by many observers for significant rolling stock damage due to inadequate storage decision-making and, according to some, disregarding projected storm impacts offered by weather services. Other New York-area rail and transit agencies in general suffered less equipment damage, and were perceived to have prepared more thoroughly, though few if any were spared from storm surge damage.
Using monitor station water level and atmospheric forecasts, the new warning system is to provide actionable information, with advance notice allowing "for a more effective relocation of equipment from possible flood areas to safe havens, or earlier customer alerts on the potential for service disruption or suspension," NJ Transit said. Hoboken Terminal and the adjacent rail yard as well as the Meadows Maintenance Complex were inundated by storm waters in 2012 resulting is a suspension of passenger rail service and millions of dollars in repairs.
"We're pleased to be working with Stevens Institute of Technology to develop and implement this new warning system," said NJ Transit Executive Director Ronnie Hakim. "Working with a Hoboken-based University to protect the important and historic Hoboken Rail Terminal is a partnership focused on success."
The funding is provided through the Office of Mobility Innovation of the Federal Transit Administration. The grant was awarded as a result of an application submitted by NJ Transit in the Innovative Safety, Resiliency, and All-Hazards Emergency Response and Recovery Research Demonstrations category.