ASCE Metropolitan Section

Infrastructure Group News

Infrastructure Seminar Looks at NYC Storm Surge Barriers

An international array of engineers and scientists gathered at the 2009 Infrastructure Group Seminar, "Against the Deluge: Storm Surge Barriers to Protect New York City," held at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University on March 30-31. The objective of the seminar was to begin to develop the scientific and engineering information base needed to evaluate storm surge barrier concepts and perhaps point the way to their further development.

With global warming and the accelerated rise in sea level, New York City is becoming increasingly at risk from severe coastal flooding during intense nor'easters or hurricanes. Moveable barriers placed at narrow points in the waterways surrounding New York City can protect the inner city and nearby New Jersey from the storm surges that could otherwise cause the type of devastating damage that we recently witnessed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

Modern Caverns in Gotham

On January 29, 2008, three speakers from Parsons Brinckerhoff discussed some of the significant geotechnical and design challenges associated with the construction of large rock caverns for four major rail and subway infrastructure projects in Manhattan. The technical lecture was held at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU and focused on the underground caverns for the East Side Access, No. 7 Subway Extension, Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel (Access to the Region's Core), and Second Avenue Subway projects.