Railroads aren’t great if they’re underwater.
Scientists have directly observed sea level rise since the late 18th century. And as they forecast the next 20, 50, and 100 years, sea level rise will continue to accelerate at an alarming rate. That rise won’t just threaten homeowners on the coast — it will also impact the critical infrastructure that supports many of our largest cities.
While sea level rise is often phrased as an issue of concern in the future, we can already see some of the implications. Many coastal communities have witnessed a sharp uptick in flooding, during lunar king tide periods. Other places are forced to consider what life might be like as the land they currently occupy goes underwater.
For further reading on this subject, I recommend starting here:
Regional Plan Association ‘Under Water’ and 4th Plan reports for residents of the greater New York City metro area:
http://library.rpa.org/pdf/RPA-Under-Water-How-Sea-Level-Rise-Threatens-the-Tri-State-Region.pdf
http://fourthplan.org