$33.2 Million Received from PROTECT Grant Program to Make Transportation Infrastructure More Resilient to Climate Change
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that it has received a federal grant for $33.2 million from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) through its Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program. The federal funding will be put towards strengthening resiliency efforts at the Westchester Train Yard on the line, which is in a low-lying area, has repeatedly seen significant ponding during heavy rains and flash flood.
The line was the busiest subway line in 2023, carrying approximately 140 million riders for the year, more than the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad combined. On an average weekday, the line serves over half a million riders in the Bronx and Manhattan. The Westchester Yard houses all 49 trains that operate on the line.
“When Westchester Yard receives heavy rainfall, it floods and disrupts service for over 500,000 daily riders who rely on the line to get them to work or school,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “This grant will allow us to implement flood control systems to keep trains moving. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand, Majority Leader Schumer, and all our federal partners for prioritizing mass transit, which is essential to New York’s success.”
“Millions of New Yorkers and visitors rely on the line, so it is essential that we invest in infrastructure to ensure it operates at peak efficiency,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “I am proud to help deliver this $33.2 million in federal funding for the MTA—from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law we worked so hard to pass—to strengthen the resiliency of the 6 train line by installing a complete stormwater drainage system at Westchester Yard in the Bronx where Pelham Bay line subway trains are stored. From more frequent extreme weather due to climate change, to the earthquake experienced throughout New York City, there is an urgent need to upgrade our country’s infrastructure to withstand events like these.”
“The line is critical to the fabric of New York City, which is why I am delivering more than $33 million in federal funding to make the line run smoothly through heavy rains and storming,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Every New Yorker knows the is a direct route to major job, medical, educational, and cultural hubs, and when the train is not running on time, it can derail the city’s activity. During heavy rainfall, the line’s operating hub, Westchester Yard, is prone to flooding due to poor drainage, which increases the chances of train derailment and severely impacts transit services for thousands of commuters. This funding will support the installation of a complete stormwater drainage system at Westchester Yard to help keep the line right on track.”
“The $33 million from the DOT's PROTECT grants will mitigate flooding risks from major storms in Westchester Yard by implementing drainage and flood control systems to prevent flooding and avoid service disruptions,” said U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This will improve transit service for the over 600,000 weekday train passengers. Westchester Yard is a critical lifeline for commuters from The Bronx, providing direct access to job and cultural centers, medical facilities, higher education institutions, and more. We applaud the Biden administration's commitment to environmental justice with this significant award for our city.”
“I am overjoyed that Westchester Yard has been named the recipient of a $33 million PROTECT Grant -- a move that I urged the Federal Highway Administration to do last August,” said U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres. “As I said back then, the transit service relying on the Westchester Yard is a critical lifeline for my Bronx constituents and provides direct access to major job and cultural centers, medical facilities, and higher education institutions. With extreme weather events getting stronger and more frequent, this project will improve system resiliency and help ensure NYCT’s ability to provide sustainable, safe, and reliable transportation services for New Yorkers who rely on transit the most.”
About the PROTECT Grant Program
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program with funds apportioned directly to State departments of transportation to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure.