Superstorm Sandy struck the east coast more than a year ago, but many companies are still working to replace and repair their infrastructure. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America’s largest transportation network. Its network spans 5,000 square miles and services 15.1 million people in New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York and Connecticut.
MTA’s Metro-North railroad is the second largest commuter rail in the country. The line features high-tech cars and a fiber-optic system, which allows for reliable communications for both riders and employees.
Before Sandy hit, MTA workers took preemptive measures and unhooked transponders used in their fiber optic system and took them above ground, but unfortunately that didn’t salvage the whole system. Following the storm, 30 miles of fiber optic cable needed to be replaced, but finding the funding proved to be a challenge.
In late January, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the Federal Transit Administration awarded $886.3 million to the MTA to repair and rebuild infrastructure affected by Superstorm Sandy. The MTA allocated $21.5 million of the funds towards repairing the communications and signal system. In addition to replacing miles of fiber optic cables, the money will replace signal cables, switches, bond boxes, relays, snow melters and crossing gate infrastructure.
“With this funding, we are furthering our efforts to reimagine New York’s most vital infrastructure to meet the needs of extreme weather,” Governor Cuomo said in a press release. “This grant is critical to the continued health and viability of the New York metropolitan region’s $1.4 trillion economy. I am thankful for the support of the federal government in this endeavor, and know that it will go a long way to helping us build a stronger and more resilient New York.”
As the nation becomes more and more reliant on technology, communication lines have become a vital piece of infrastructure. To avoid unnecessary downtime, especially following an emergency like Superstorm Sandy, cities can benefit from protecting and fortifying fiber optic cables against future disasters.
GeoTel Communications digitizes and layers telecommunications infrastructure data onto the highest quality street data available. Our coverage extends to more than 5,000 US cities and millions of miles of carrier fiber routes. Cities can use fiber network maps, fiber lit buildings, and other fiber data sets to help find alternative routes for Internet traffic. Call (800) 277-2172 today for more information.
