AGENCY TESTIMONY
DOT's climate resilience and stormwater management initiatives
0:17:32
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126 sec
Margaret Forgione outlines DOT's various initiatives to enhance climate resilience and manage stormwater in New York City. She highlights collaborative efforts with other city agencies and the implementation of innovative solutions to address climate-related challenges.
- Describes the implementation of porous concrete in capital projects following the Unified Stormwater Rule
- Mentions the completion or planning of approximately 92 linear miles of porous pavement
- Discusses the Cool Corridor study and its findings on heat mitigation strategies
- Highlights efforts to integrate heat vulnerability assessments into capital planning
Margaret Forgione
0:17:32
Since the Unified Stormwater Rule came into effect in 2022, DOT has also embraced installing precast porous concrete mills in capital projects.
0:17:43
Roadway reconstruction projects that disturb over an acre of the sub base of the roadway, or any project that adds 5,000 square feet of impervious surface are required to include storm water management practices to reduce impervious space.
0:17:57
DOT and DEP have either completed or plan to complete in the relative near term approximately 92 linear miles of porous pavement that will result in approximately 450,000,000 gallons of storm water managed per year.
0:18:11
The vast majority of which has been installed as part of DEP projects.
0:18:15
We would be happy to discuss this work with the council further.
0:18:19
Other than porous pavement, DOT is looking at other ways to beat the heat.
0:18:22
Our cool corridor study completed in 2024 was a first in the nation capability and capacity building grant from FEMA to study the types and efficacy of heat mitigation and heat relief strategies through the lens of a benefit cost analysis.
0:18:38
The study identified many types of physical interventions, including street trees, drinking fountains, surface treatments, and seeding that can address the growing seasonal issue of extreme heat.
0:18:50
Through analysis and discussions with sister agencies and sister cities, we evaluated on a conceptual level the feasibility of these interventions in the dense New York City context.
0:19:02
DOT is advancing our mission to make streets comfortable and safe, especially in the summer.
0:19:07
We are seeking federal funding to advance the cooling interventions identified in the study and working to integrate heat vulnerability assessments and heat resilience into capital planning and prioritization.
0:19:20
Given how multifaceted heat health is, we are grateful for the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and New York City Emergency Management, who have served as organizers for many of these efforts, and also to DOHMH, who has been an incredible technical partner in understanding heat health.