New York and New Jersey officials say trains, tracks, tunnels, bridges, roads, and airports damaged from Superstorm Sandy will cost billions of dollars to repair – and that even more money is needed for them to withstand future severe storms.

Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, told a Senate panel Thursday that transportation infrastructure in New York suffered $7.5 billion in damage. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the city’s subways, took the biggest hit – $5 billion. The hearing was intended to lay the groundwork for federal aid.

James Weinstein, executive director of NJ Transit, said it will cost $400 million to repair and replaced damaged equipment, tracks and stations, plus another $800 million to make the transit agency better able to withstand storms like Sandy.

(AP)