Better service or lip service? The level of optimism over Mayor Bloomberg's promises to rebuild stronger and smarter depends on what evacuation zone you live in. Some of our viewers say they've been asking for coastal protections for decades. Looks like Sandy finally got City Hall's attention.

Mayor Bloomberg said today New York City should rebuild "smarter and stronger and more sustainable" in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Speaking in front of the Regional Plan Association, the Mayor said government will work on upgrading building codes and evacuation zone maps, hardening power and transportation networks, and making sure hospitals are prepared for another storm of Sandy's magnitude.

Bloomberg announced Con Edison agreed to spend $250 million to upgrade its electrical, steam and gas systems. In addition, the City will continue to study strategies to protect coastal communities. Bloomberg said, "Let me be clear, we are not going to abandon the waterfront." What do you say?

How would you address the challenge of rebuilding neighborhoods on the coastline? Will altering building codes and expanding evacuation zones make a difference? What's your reaction to Con Edison pledging $250 million in improvements to its systems?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

1. Personally, I think ConEd and other utilities should be spending a lot more than $250 million to upgrade, and I have thought that for a long time. I thought our local leaders had spent a good part of the last 10 years preparing for another terrorist attack. What if terrorists successfully attacked the national power grid? Hasn't anybody thought of that? What if all of New York was dark? Hasn't Con Ed thought about how it would deal with something like that; or would it just take months to get the power on again? They had so many problems dealing with Sandy aftermath, what would happen if something really serious happened, like a terrorist attack or a Category 3 hurricane?

2. I think it would be good if the Fed gov't gave NY less money than requested. That would make it more likely we would have a serious discussion about these issues since we would be having to pay at least some of the expenses locally (for example, through higher property taxes or higher income taxes). It is too easy to ignore these issues when it seems like all the money is coming from someplace else.

3. The hurricane prep guide that was sent by the OEM to all NY homes in 2006 (I still have mine), the one with the map of zones A, B & C, says that in a "Major" hurricane -- i.e., category 3 or higher -- striking near NYC a storm surge could reach 30 feet or more. Isn't that close to twice what we had this time? Are the measures the Mayor proposes sufficient to deal with something like that? Are we sure we want people rebuilding in these areas? Perhaps we should require that they get & maintain flood insurance before we allow them to build there again. Just imagine the damage a Cat 2 or 3 storm would do, between winds of over 100 mph and a storm surge of 25 or 30 feet.

Ellie
Turtle Bay

Seriously at this point I think I should ask for a consulting fee, the entire coastal Country needs sea walls built, a lesson we should have learned from KATRINA in 2005. Not Everyone can move away from the coast, besides there are other forces of nature to deal with other than flooding, such as earthquakes & tornadoes that come with little to no advanced warning and a potentially higher death count.

As for the MTA, I know in my neighborhood the trains run just fine all year long above ground, less chance of drowning there, Sandy did come close, but here they run at ground level. THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE!

Terry,
Hamilton Beach, Queens

Hi John,

How dare this Bloomberg and all of these politicians continue to insult us time after time. He can't reassure us about anything and he and the rest of the lot have already abandoned us. Remember ground zero. What happened there. Also to brag that Con Ed is going to spend so much money to up-date when I am a person that was born and am still living here in the Bronx and they have done nothing to up-grade and this problem has gone on as far back as the 50's and 60's and guess whole will foot the bill as usual-no one but us people that continue to support this city and state over and over again and again paying taxes and having to accept the increases in fares and etc., we all have been complaining about co-ed, telephone companies and everyone else raising our rates. What I am saying should be no surprise to no one at all. This Bloomberg is breaking ground at the rail yard while people still don't have a house, no food, no hot water and clean clothes, etc.

Thank you John,
maxxiee
mp

John,

Here we go again. Promises, promises. What happened to the promises made after previous disasters? Any money available was used for anything but that for which it was allocated.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

There seemed to be some confusion as to what the official status of Hurricane Sandy was as it approached the tristate region on October 29th. From its birth in the Carribean to just north of the coast of North Carolina,the storm was classified as a category 2,than category 1 hurricane. As it neared the southern coast of New Jersey,it weakened to just below category 1 status, with regard to its internal structure,which transitioned from a warm core to a cold core system.This was moot; this storm retained its tropical characteristics all the way to Massachusetts. Just ask those who were trapped in their homes as tidal surges swept over coastal areas,as winds shrieked with gusts to 100 mph.The National Hurricane Center needs to revise its protocol for hurricane warnings immediately-perhaps if they had issued hurricane warnings all the way up the Atlantic seaboard,there would be 43 people in the tristate area that would be alive today.

John
Fresh Meadows, NY

PREDICTION. EMINENT DOMAIN CARD WILL BE PLAYED ON WATERFRONT PROPERTY ALA LONG BRANCH NEW JERSEY. HOMEOWNERS HERE, WILL BE FORCED TO MOVE AND TAXPAYER MONEY WILL BE USED TO MAKE THE WATERFRONT A VIABLE REAL ESTATE PLAYGROUND FOR THE EXTREMELY RICH.

JOE, BAY TERRACE

on staten island yes improving building codes a good idea however apartment buildings or increased density is not acceptable

tom
richmondtown

Unfortunately I thinks it's economically impossible to flood proof the NYC coastal areas. The entire infrastructure would need to be rebuilt and there is no funding for that. What really surprised me about far rockaway for instance is that the boardwalk is elevated yet there is no solid wall/levee under the boardwalk. Sorry but what is the point of it being elevated if there is/was no solid wall?! This city is far behind the Netherlands in flood prevention and unfortunately I don't think we can catch up.

Love the show!

Eric

We need strong levees, sea walls, anything to protect ourselves from another disaster like Sandy

Carmen from Bay Ridge