ALBANY-With the worst of Hurricane Sandy set to make landfall on Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo took extra precautions to safeguard state’s sensitive downstate infrastructure, specifically in low-lying areas of Lower Manhattan.
At a news conference on Monday morning, Cuomo said because water levels have already reached a four-foot storm surge, both the Holland Tunnel and Brooklyn Battery Tunnel will close at 2 p.m. today due to the chance of heavy flooding. Currently, Hurricane Sandy is predicted to reach six to 11 feet of rainfall, roughly double than that of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. As a result, Cuomo said all area bridges will close once winds reach 60 miles per hour or higher, which is anticipated to hit later this afternoon.
The governor also directed the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to make all necessary preparations to prevent flooding at the World Trade Center site during the storm. In preparation, the Port Authority halted all major construction work at the site at 4 p.m. Saturday, and efforts to secure the site are ongoing. The announcement follows suspension of all construction activity by the New York City Department of Buildings on Saturday.
According to the New York State website, all construction materials have been tied down and nailed to concrete floors, or secured with heavy chains. Additionally, all cranes have been secured, including the ones located on Tower 1 and Tower 4. For floors above 88 at One World Trade Center -- which are currently surrounded only by netting -- crews have removed or tied down any and all debris that could become airborne during the storm.
Cuomo – joined by Port Authority vice chairman Scott Rechler this morning – said the entire site is equipped with pumps to drain and remove stormwater that may enter the 16-acre construction zone. He said more than one-thousand sandbags have been placed around low lying areas adjacent to Battery Park City and the Hudson River. Extra pumps and sandbags are being delivered to the site as a precaution.
An additional 1,000 members of the National Guard have been called upon to aid the state’s downstate and upstate regions during this time, Cuomo said. On the national level, President Obama granted New York’s request for a federal emergency declaration, which will provide quicker access to recovery funding after the storm passes.
A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for city residents in Zone A areas, including Coney Island, the Rockaways, Hamilton Beach and City Island, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday. And for the second time in the city's history, the MTA has also shut down the New York City subway system based on concerns that saltwater could corrode trains and tunnels. Updates are available on the city's Office of Emergency Management website.
On the commercial real estate front, the BOMA/NY Weather Response Subcommittee has provided a checklist of what building managers/owners can prepare for the storm:
- Fasten or remove loose materials.
- Close all exterior windows
- Clear plazas and terraces of loose material
- Check reliability of boilers and all power generation systems
- Secure roof mounted equipment like flashings, roof vents, and HVAC
- Check and secure all sidewalk sheds
- Inspect and test all necessary back up equipment such as generators and communication devices including radios, repeaters and fire alarms
- Clean out drains and catch basins
- Inspect all fire protection equipment such as sprinkler control valves, fire alarms and fire pumps
- Secure on-site cranes for high winds
- Anchor or remove any non-essential equipment to a safe location
- Properly brace outdoor signs.
- Check and maintain your supply of plywood and sandbags
- Review your insurance policy and make sure you have your carriers contact information
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