"What I think we really need to focus on are more fuel-efficient vehicles, better city planning for the number and types of vehicles on the road, and more public transportation options, " Curtis Lewis said.

CNN: Drivers, cyclists square off on sharing the road

The highways that ring Manhattan along the water sit atop a series of tide gates that are designed to drain water from the road and keep water from gurgling up from below, said Sam Schwartz, a former city transportation commissioner who now works as a consultant.

WSJ: New York City Transit System Braces for Water Surge