Sandy Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg, and NYC May Be the Titanic

Although still being measured, the damage superstorm Sandy inflicted upon New York was clearly historic. But the stunning conclusion reached by Richard Barone of the Regional Planning Association, is that "[i]t can get a lot worse than this."

2 minute read

October 31, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


While being careful not to appear to be fearmongering, Barone is blunt in his assessment that although Sandy was "a significant event" that "there could be worse storms." And it's clear to experts, designers, and colleagues of reporter Dana Rubinstein, that New York City hasn't done enough to "prepare for the effects of the climate change that's already underway."  

"Bloomberg earlier today wasn't willing to attribute the storm surges to climate change," says Rubinstein, "likely for fear of creating an unnecessary political issue by engaging climate-change deniers," or perhaps exhibiting his administration's "lack a sense of urgency about this," identified by Douglas Hill, an engineer with the Storm Surge Research Group at Stony Brook University.

"But Governor Andrew Cuomo went right ahead and said it, just about."

"Going forward, I think we do have to anticipate these extreme types of weather patterns," said Cuomo. "And we have to start to think about how do we redesign the system so this doesn't happen again. After what happened, what has been happening in the last few years, I don't think anyone can sit back anymore and say 'Well, I'm shocked at that weather pattern.'

"There is no weather pattern that can shock me at this point. And I think that has to be our attitude. And how do we redesign our system and our infrastructure assuming that?"

 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 in Capital

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

5 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

7 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press