Estimating coastal flood damage costs to transit infrastructure under future sea level rise

This study constructs an event-specific flood damage cost estimation framework for transit systems, simulating separately flood ingress into underground spaces. The researchers apply this framework to the MBTA rail transit system in Boston, estimating damages under several coastal flood events with SLR and project expected annualized losses (EAL) through 2100 with uncertain SLR.

The results suggest that absent adaptation schemes, particularly at tunnel ingress locations, coastal flood risk will continue to accelerate, potentially resulting in permanent inundation of underground and low-lying sections of the transit system.