TransCore helps New York survive hurricane devastation

New York’s Traffic Management Centre faced its toughest test yet when Hurricane Sandy hit the United States at the end of October last year. Power was maintained to the building in Long Island City, Queens, throughout, although backup systems were operational and ready to supply critical transportation systems if power had been lost. Support from TransCore staff included making sure the TMC networks and transportation systems were operational, including the TransSuite Traffic Control System (TCS), which had
February 28, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
TransCore staff assisted in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, helping to get over 1400 intersections back online as New York returned to its feet (Pic: David Shankbone)

New York’s Traffic Management Centre faced its toughest test yet when Hurricane Sandy hit the United States at the end of October last year.

Power was maintained to the building in Long Island City, Queens, throughout, although backup systems were operational and ready to supply critical transportation systems if power had been lost.

Support from 139 Transcore staff included making sure the TMC networks and transportation systems were operational, including the TransSuite Traffic Control System (TCS), which had 8,200 intersections online. TCS made it through the storm without failing but by Monday as the eye of the storm had passed, there were intersections off-line due to flooding, loss of power and physical damage in the field.

On the Tuesday morning, the main optical fibre cable connecting the TCS to the city-wide wireless network was cut. However, TransCore determined that TCS was operational with no problem, and the TMC networks were not compromised.

The following day, Wednesday, the fibre was repaired and TransCore assisted by troubleshooting the intersections, working with the electricians and operators for the rest of the week. Intersections that could not be put back on line numbered about 700 in the flooded lower Manhattan area and the same number in flooded areas in Brooklyn and the outer boroughs.

Since NYCDOT’s headquarters were in the flooded area in lower Manhattan, commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, her deputy Lori Ardato and their management group relocated to offices in the TMC building in Queens. They made periodic visits to the TMC, specifically to Bruce Schaller (deputy assistant commissioner in charge of the TMC), requesting reports on the status of the intersections.

Support continued into the beginning of the following week as the TMC continued its recovery efforts and as TransCore staff returned to work. The NYC TransCore office lost internet connection but never lost electricity. Most staff returned once public transportation resumed.
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Networking & Communication Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New York bus passengers get real time bus information
    October 30, 2012
    Bronx bus passengers will soon be able to avoid waits at bus stops and get bus-arrival information on their home computer, smartphone or mobile phone. With MTA Bus Time, passengers can access a map showing where buses are along a particular route. They can also request a text telling them where the nearest bus is on the route. Developed by New York’s Metropolitan transit Authority (MTA), Bus Time uses accurate location data provided by an enhanced GPS device mounted inside each bus. That information is int
    Read More
  • TransCore and KLD agree on distribution rights
    August 6, 2013
    TransCore and KLD have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly pursue projects and provide TransCore with exclusive distribution rights for KLD's adaptive control decision support system (ACDSS). The deal means that US Departments of Transport already using TransCore’s TranSuite advanced traffic management system (ATMS) can now integrate KLD’s adaptive control decision support system (ACDSS) into the system to deliver an adaptive control strategy that can be used as part of a larger area-wide traffi
    Read More
  • Cubic completes launch of Manhattan’s bus hardware subsystem
    October 10, 2013
    Cubic Transportation Systems has delivered the on-time installation of its bus hardware subsystem (BHS) for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA Bus Time, the authority’s customer information system for bus location and arrival times that will be accessible by passengers using an internet browser-based map, a mobile phone-based application and a text message-based service.
    Read More
  • Four New York boroughs to trial dockless bike-share scheme
    June 4, 2018
    Four boroughs in New York will host a dockless bike share scheme this summer to offer citizens an inexpensive transportation option. The project, announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, will allow the city to evaluate different dockless companies as well as those offering pedal-assist bikes. Initially, two pilots will launch in beach communities Coney Island in Brooklyn and the Rockaways in Queens in July. Two more initiatives will then follow in the neighbourhood near Fordham University in the Bronx and on Sta
    Read More

Highlighted Content