MTA Unveils $800M Blueprint For Hudson Line Climate Resilience
NEW YORK—The MTA announced on April 9 an $800-million initiative to protect the Hudson Line from the effects of climate change through investments that will fortify the line against future stormwater runoff, tidal floods and other risks.
The effort, the “Metro-North Hudson Line Climate Resilience Blueprint,” will rebuild critical infrastructure like culverts, drainage, retaining walls, slopes, shorelines and track. The focus is on a 20-mile stretch between Riverdale and Croton-Harmon, which is vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather.
MTA officials estimated the cost of projects associated with climate resiliency at more than $6 billion over the next 10 years. According to the MTA’s capital plan, protecting Metro North’s Hudson Line is budgeted at $800 million.
The Blueprint will also outline design guidance and actions to protect the entirety of the Hudson Line from the effects of climate change, and ensure a coordinated approach is taken for all future Hudson Line projects. This includes target track elevations, standards for waterfront shoreline improvements and performance criteria for drainage.
MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, “Securing the next generation of great public transit along the Hudson Line means investing in infrastructure to protect Metro-North from climate change. The Hudson Line Climate Resilience Blueprint will give us a clear path to make our service stronger and more reliable.”
Metro-North President Justin Vonashek said, “By the 2050s, 80% of the Hudson Line will be at increased risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and more frequent severe weather events. The Hudson Line is a key economic driver for the Hudson Valley and it’s important that we make these crucial investments to protect the future of not only the railroad, but the entire coastal area.”
The agency will host the first in a series of Open House on the Blueprint on Wed., April 23, at the Hastings-on-Hudson Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Open House will feature a brief presentation given by MTA Construction & Development (C&D) representatives about the Blueprint and the Capital Plan, with a Q&A session to follow.
The Capital Plan is a historic $68.4-billion investment in the region’s subways, buses, railroads, bridges, and tunnels over the next five years that ensures New Yorkers continue to have access to reliable, accessible, and sustainable transit. It includes targeted investments to rebuild, improve, and expand the transit system, and will enable the MTA to continue to provide frequent and reliable service by putting the system on a path to a state of good repair, including investments in railcars, power, and signals.
Published: April 16, 2025