In the wake of Superstorm Sandy’s crippling damage to infrastructure across New Jersey, New Jersey Transit (NJT) was awarded $1.27 billion in resiliency grant funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to make transit infrastructure more secure in the event of future natural disasters. The FTA grant distribution process employed a revolutionary program, which rated applicants based on potential damage reduction. Among the projects NJT expanded with these funds was a sweeping initiative to enhance the resiliency of signal and control systems throughout their network; many assets housing vital train control operations were either damaged during Sandy or discovered to be at risk of damage during a future storm. The NJT project will make New Jersey’s transit infrastructure more secure from severe flooding by installing new signal devices higher above ground, placing vital components in waterproof cases, and even rebuilding entire facilities at higher levels. These improvements not only demonstrate the importance New Jersey Transit places on resiliency, but also the benefits of long-term planning focused on building stronger to prepare for future natural disasters.
Gamechanger added in 2016.
