Thursday, February 13, 2014

Look out below!

From DNA Info:

After chunks of ice began plummeting from One World Trade Center last week, the Port Authority is building a protective shed to keep pedestrians safe.

The shed will cover the area outside the World Trade Center PATH station entrance on Vesey Street, which has been shut down during morning rush hour twice in the past week because of the falling ice. Last Friday, the Port Authority was forced to temporarily halt PATH service to the station altogether, because of the bottleneck of commuters all trying to leave through the one remaining open exit.

Falling ice also shuttered the Vesey Street entrance Tuesday morning.

Port Authority spokesman Anthony Hayes said the agency was building the shed “to ensure public safety against the ice fall.”

Workers were busy Wednesday afternoon constructing the metal and wood barrier in the blustery cold.

When asked whether the cover would be enough to protect against the fall of ice blocks, a worker, who asked that his name not be used, replied: “Well, look, you never know where the wind blows.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who was the bright one who designed this building?

Anonymous said...

"Who was the bright one who designed this building?"

Point taken. However, I was walking downtown just a few days ago when wind dislodged chunks of ice from the roof of one of the older 1920s skyscrapers (one on Nassau - can't tell you the name).

Ice accumulations on buildings this winter are atypical and many tall buildings, old and new, have these potential hazards lurking above.

J said...

"Ice accumulations on buildings this winter are atypical and many tall buildings, old and new, have these potential hazards lurking above."

that may be,but these new buildings,which are sleek and apparently 100% glass are more hazardous and were designed and built without any consideration for the winter,and the ice that falls off them resemble the shapes of the windows that come off them.
I saw a plate of ice that came off the foreboding west 57st tower by 7th and it resembled a 27' flatscreen tv.

this is not abu dubai or the arab emirates,which the towers from those dictatorship lands resemble,and don't have to worry about ice and snow.And we have the funsize mayor and his EDC toadies for these killer monoliths.And The Blaz is down with these too,judging by his pick for tower worshipper/land commisioner.

and to think the tragedy of 9/11/2001 made these bozos think we should build more and bigger so the terrorists won't win.

Anonymous said...

The danger from falling ice is not serious from glass wall type buildings where the interior is heated - which at this stage 1 WTC is not. The danger of falling ice is greater from sloped roofs and overhangs.

Anonymous said...

Hey, the Bayonne Bridge work has led to smashed windshield as crap rains down - PANYNJ just writes a check - cheaper than putting up netting. Probably be cheaper to pay off a suit when someone gets injured or killed, too. Safety is SOOOO important to these bozos. Not! Getting their way, doing only what they want to do, is what's important.

Anonymous said...

Wear hard hats in this weather. I saw chunks of hard snow falling from high rises in the west 50s yesterday.