>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

IF THERE'S ONE THING ABOUT EVERY NEW YORKER CAN AGREE ON, IT'S THAT THE SUBWAY IS A MESS.

A NEW DOCUMENTARY TITLED END OF THE LINE WHICH RECENTLY PREMIERED AT THE NYC FILM FESTIVAL EXLORS HOW YEARS OF UNDERINVESTMENT CAUSED THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY SYSTEM TO CRUMBLE.

THE FILM WHICH FEATURES INTERVIEWS WITH MULTIPLE MTA FISHES INCLUDING FORMER PRESIDENT ANDY BYEFORD WITH HOW MAINTENANCE AFFECTS COMMUNITIES AND COVID AFFECTED AMBITIOUS PLANS TO MODERNIZE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM AND THE COMPLICATED ROLE ANDREW CUOMO PLAYED IN FIXING OR NOT FIXING OF THE SUBWAY.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

>> THIS IS JUST ANOTHER COMPLETE DISASTER.

>> NOT EMPTY SUITS.

>> THE CURRENT STATE OF DECLINE IS WHOLLY UNACCEPTABLE.

THE L TRAIN IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

THE L TRAIN ISSUE GOES TO THE HEART OF ALL THE PROBLEMS.

>> YOU HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE, LACK OF MAINTENANCE, THE RISING CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLITICAL TENSION.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT?

FOR PAYING FOR IT?

>> THE PROBLEMS SOLVED RIGHT NOW.

>> THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY SYSTEM IS AN ACHIEVEMENT BUT ITS DECLINE IS VERY MUCH A SYSTEM OF WHERE WE'VE GONE AS A SOCIETY AND A COUNTRY.

>> ON TRANSIT, THE U.S. SCORES A D MINUS.

>> THE NATION LOOKING AT AIRPORTS AND RAILROADS.

THE WEALTH ECONOMIC FORUM RUNS AMERICA 16th IN THE WORLD.

>> TRAVELERS STILL DON'T HAVE ONE OPTION USED TO RUN THE WORLD FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY.

HIGH SPEED RAIL.

>> AND JOINING US NOW TO DISCUSS HIS NEW DOCUMENTARY AND THE CURRENT STATE OF THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY SYSTEM IS THE DIRECTOR OF END OF THE LINE, EMMETT ADLER.

WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU.

>> ALWAYS A PLEASURE ON MY END AS WELL.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> EMMETT, YOU CAME ON THE SHOW ON JULY OF 2018 TO TALK ABOUT THIS FILM WHEN IT WAS STILL PRIMARILY ABOUT THE PLANNED 15 MONTH SHUTDOWN OF THE L TRAIN AND THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THAT WOULD HAVE ON MANY NEW YORKERS.

AT THE END OF 2018, GOVERNOR CUOMO MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT SAYING, NEVER MIND.

WE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO FIX THE L TRAIN TUNNEL WITHOUT CLOSING THE L TRAIN.

YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I HEARD THAT.

I WAS WONDERING, HOW DID YOU REACT WHEN YOU HEARD THAT AND DID YOU ALREADY HAVE A PLAN B?

>> NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN B. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE L TRAIN SITUATION WAS GOING TO BE REVERSED.

AT THAT POINT, THE MTA HAD BEEN TELLING THE PUBLIC THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR THREE YEARS.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORT AND YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW ME FIRST.

MY PHONE BLOWING UP.

ON MY POST NEW YEAR'S VACATION AND IT WAS A MOMENT OF SHEER PANIC FOR US FILM MAKERS WHO HAD BEEN COVERING THIS SINCE 2016 AND WERE HEAVILY INVESTED, MOMENTARILY THOUGHT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE A FILM ANYMORE.

WHAT IT BECAME WAS AN INCREDIBLE PLOT TWIST.

>> THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND YOU WORKED IT OUT REALLY WELL.

YOU ALWAYS HAD THE INTENTION OF LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAY, FOR THREE YEARS, ALL WE HEARD FROM TH THEM WAS THERE WAS NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE.

SWALLOW THE BITTER PILL.

BUT CUOMO SAID I TALKED TO EXPERTS, ESPECIALLY TWO EXPERTS FROM COLUMBIA AND CORNELL AND TELL ME THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE.

SO WE'RE NOT SHUTTING IT DOWN.

NOW, WHY HASN'T THE MTA SPOKEN TO THESE EXPERTS?

OR WAS THAT JUST A SMOKE SCREEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER UP A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MOVE?

>> WELL, I THINK THE MTA IN THE WORDS OF THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME, THE MTA'S PERSPECTIVE IS REBUILD THE TUNNEL TO ITS PREVIOUS STATE.

IT'S POSSIBLE THEY WEREN'T LOOKING AT THIS PROBLEM CREATIVELY OR WEIGHING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE TUNNEL CLOSURE WOULD HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW FOR SURE.

ANOTHER THING THEY SAY IS THAT SOME OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR POSED THESE ACADEMICS BROUGHT UP WERE ACTUALLY RECENT INNOVATIONS IN KIND OF TUNNEL BUILDING TECHNOLOGY.

A LOT OF OPINIONS.

>> RIGHT.

YOU THINK THE MTA WOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT ANY EVENT, AS WE'VE SEEN IN YOUR FILM, ANDY BIFORD, THE THEN PRESIDENT OF THE MTA, WASN'T CONVINCED THAT THIS NEW PLAN WAS SAFE.

SO HE COMMISSIONED A STUDY TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE, BUT THE BOARD ON THE MTA THAT WAS CONTROLLED BY CUOMO NIXED IT.

NEVER HAPPENED.

MY QUESTION IS, WAS THE WORK DONE ON THE L TRAIN SAFE AND IS THE L TRAIN SAFE TO RIDE NOW?

DO WE KNOW?

>> YOU KNOW, THE TRUTH IS, THERE ARE ENGINEERING EXPERTS, IB, WHO HAVE SIGNED OFF ON THIS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE QUALIFIED THAN ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I THINK, ANY TIME THERE'S A SUDDEN FLIP LIKE THIS, IT'S DEFINITELY QUESTIONABLE.

IT WAS A HUGE CONCERN AT THE TIME.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO BE RUNNING TRADES WHILE THEY WERE DOING CONSTRUCTION.

SO RAISE THE CONCERN THAT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC IS VERY SENSITIVE TO AFTER 9/11 AND THE EXPOSURE THAT HAPPENED THERE.

I'M NOT IN A POSITION, I FEEL LIKE TO SAY, TO THE PUBLIC ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT I THINK IN SOME WAYS, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

THE MTA HAS GOOD THINGS AND TIMELINES IN 50 OR 100 YEARS.

THIS HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO NOW.

>> RIGHT.

THE CLASH BETWEEN CUOMO AND BIFORD OVER THE L TRAIN WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR ANDY BIFORD.

AS YOUR FILM SHOWS AFTER THIS, GOVERNOR CUOMO SYSTEMICALLY TOOK RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES AWAY FROM THIS.

TO THE POINT HE HAD TO QUIT IN TWO YEARS.

MY QUESTION IS, IF WE COULD MAKE THIS BRIEF, WHY WAS BIFORD THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB?

WHY DID CUOMO HIRE HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WHAT WAS HE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN THE FEW YEARS WITH THE MTA?

>> BIFORD WAS KIND OF LIKE THE TOP TRANSIT EXPERT EXECUTIVE IN THE WESTERN WORLD.

STILL IS TODAY, REALLY.

HE HAD COME UP IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER IN LONDON IN THE LONDON TUBE.

HE HAD WORKED IN SYDNEY RUNNING THEIR SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA AND THEN HE HAD TURNED AROUND THE SYSTEM IN TORONTO AND ACTUALLY WON THIS VERY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD THAT TRANSIT AWARD AND TURNED IT INTO ONE OF THE BEST SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD.

THIS GUY COMES FLYING HIGH AND COMES INTO NEW YORK AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID WOULD SHORE UP THE OPERATIONS OF THE MTA.

HE HAD A THING CALLED SAFE SECONDS WHERE THEY KIND OF LIKE REVERSED UNNECESSARY SPEED LIMITS THAT HAD BEEN SET ON TRADE.

WHILE HE WAS THERE, THE PERFORMANCE WENT UP FROM 60% TO THE MID 80s.

SO THE STATS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, THE GOVERNOR WOULD SAY.

HE DID THAT AND THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE THEY BUTTED HEADS.

>> HE WAS IMMEDIATELY HIRED BY LONDON TO RUN THEIR SUBWAY SYSTEM AGAIN.

OBVIOUSLY, THE MAN KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

BUT AS WE SHOW IN THE FILM, AS WE COMPARE THE SUBWAY SYSTEM TO THE SYSTEM AND CITY ACROSS THE GLOBE, IT'S PRETTY DEPRESSING.

WHY ARE SUBWAYS AND SUCH PLACES AS HONG KONG AND LONDON SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN OURS AND HOW COULD CHINA, YOU KNOW, BUILD UP STATE-OF-THE-ART SUBWAY STATIONS IN 25 OF THEIR CITIES IN ABOUT 30 YEARS WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN'T EVEN EXTEND ONE LINE FOR TWO STOPS IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

I'M EXAGGERATING, I KNOW, BUT WHAT'S THE SECRET AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?

>> WELL, I MEAN, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IN MANY WAYS IS OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM.

DEMOCRACY DOES NOT MOVE AS FAST AS SORT OF LIKE AUTHORITARIAN COMMUNISM, SO WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA WANTS TO BUILD THE CALIFORNIA BULLET TRAIN FROM L.A. TO SAN FRANCISCO, HE'S GOING TO RUN IT THROUGH ALL THESE COUNTIES AND EACH OF THOSE COUNTIES, THERE'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT POLITICS AND DIFFERENT POLITICIANS WHO WANT DIFFERENT THINGS AND THAT PROCESS SLOWS IT DOWN.

IT'S THE GIFT AND CURSE WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN CHINA WHAT, THEY'LL DO IS TAKE YOUR LAND AND BUILD YOUR TRAIN AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

IT'S A BALANCE OF FREEDOMS AND REALITIES.

>> YOU THINK THAT'S IT.

I'LL TAKE THAT BALANCE.

ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES HE DENIES IT OR THAT HE HAD THE POWER OF THE MTA THAT IT WAS POLITICALLY CONVENIENT GOVERNOR CUOMO REALLY DID HAVE THE POWER, MUCH MORE THAN BILL DEBLASIO DID TO AFFECT THE MTA.

FROM WHAT YOU KNOW OVER THESE YEARS, DID GOVERNOR CUOMO AFFECT OUR SUBWAYS MORE POSITIVELY THAN NEGATIVELY OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

>> ULTIMATELY, HE DID MORE GOOD THAN BAD.

TOUGH QUESTION.

A LOT OF OPINIONS.

I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A FULL PASS ON LIKE, IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF DEMOCRACY.

THERE'S A LOT WE COULD BE DOING BETTER, GOING BACK TO YOUR PAST QUESTION BUT LET'S MOVE ON.

WHEN YOU RUN IT, CHINA AND AMERICA, BUT ANYWAY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS.

WHAT CUOMO DID IS HE TOOK OVER AS GOVERNOR IN 2011 AND BASICALLY PRETENDED HE DIDN'T CONTROL THE SUBWAY AND ALLOWED IT TO DRIFT INTO A STATE OF DISREPAIR.

THAT WAS HORRIBLE.

OUR ON-TIME PERCENTAGE IN JANUARY OF 2018 WAS 58% WHILE LONDON WAS IN THE 90s PERCENTILES AND HONG KONG, 99%.

SO TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN IS UNFORGIVABLE TO SOME DEGREE.

AFTER THAT, HE, WITH THE REVERSAL OF THE L TRAIN, SET IN MOTION A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT BASICALLY ALLOWED HIM TO CONSOLIDATE POWER OVER THE MTA AND DO A HUGE SPADE OF BUILDING.

NOW THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE THE EAST SIDE ACCESS UNDER WAY, REVITALIZATION.

I THINK THAT CUOMO, IF HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO STAY IN POWER, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN A MASSIVE BUILDING.

THAT IS SORT OF WHAT HE'S DOING.

>> A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

I'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT COVID.

IN 2020, YOU WERE FOUR YEARS INTO THIS FILM.

COVID HIT.

I'M GUESSING THAT WAS A MOMENT WHERE YOU HAD TO RECONFIGURE AGAIN YOUR THINKING ABOUT YOUR FILM, BUT IN ANY EVENT, WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF COVID ON OUR SUBWAY SYSTEM?

IT WAS BLEEDING, IT WAS HEMORRHAGING BILLIONS DURING WHEN THE CITY WAS CLOSED DOWN.

IS IT STILL HEMORRHAGING BILLIONS?

AND THE $50 BILLION PLUS, ANDY BIFORD, CAPITAL PROJECT STILL IN THE WORKS.

WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THAT IF YOU CO COULD.

>> THE ANSWER IS IMMEDIATELY DEVASTATION BEYOND ANYONE COULD HAVE EVER PREDICTED.

RIDERSHIP DROPPED COMPLETELY.

THEY WERE LOSING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY DAY.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME TO THE RESCUE IN MANY WAYS BUT I THINK THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE RECOVERING FROM IT FAR OR A LON TIME.

WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL FIND A WAY TO SHORE UP THEIR FINANCES AND REBUILD RIDERSHIP.

I'M SORRY, CAN YOU GIVE THE BACK END OF THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME?

>> NO, YOU ANSWERED IT.

WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF COVID.

WELL, THE BACK END WAS THE $50 BILLION CAPITAL PROJECT.

>> SO THAT'S A GOOD ONE, AND ONE THING THE SITUATION DID.

ONE OF THE MAIN FUNDING MECHANISMS OF THE -- >> GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

>> CONGESTION PRICING, DON'T FORGET ABOUT IT.

NEW YORKERS.

PANDEMIC CREATED CONFUSING LANDSCAPE WHERE THAT COULD ALL BE WASHED AWAY AND IF YOU CARE ABOUT TRANSIT, HOPE IT WON'T BE.

>> QUICKLY, WE HAVE ABOUT 10 SECONDS LEFT.

YES OR NO.

DO YOU THINK WE WILL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER SEE THE SUBWAY SYSTEM NOT JUST SURVIVE BUT THRIVE?

10 SECONDS.

>> IN THE WORDS OF A MIRACLE MESS, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE.

>> WE'LL END ON THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THE LIGHTNING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE ON ROCKEFELLER CENTER HAS BEEN A TRADITION THAT OFFICIALLY GOES AS FAR BACK AS 1933 AND UNOFFICIALLY EVEN BEFORE THAT.

THE 18th ANNUAL NBC CHRISTMAS AND ROCKEFELLER CENTER, A SPECTACULAR EVENT THAT SIGNALS THE COMING OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BROADCAST TOMORROW.

ONE OF THE HOSTS OF THE FESTIVITIES THIS YEAR WILL BE TODAY SHOW'S AL ROKER, JOINING ME NOW.

WELCOME.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> AL, TALK MORE ABOUT THE TRADITION OF THE LIGHTING.

WHY DID IT BEGIN?

>> IT WAS INTERESTING.

IT ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE ROCKEFELLER CENTER WAS EVEN COMPLETED.

IT WAS DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND SOME CONSTRUCTION WORKERS DECIDED TO PUT UP A SMALL CHRISTMAS TREE.

JUST A TINY TREE.

IT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT.

THEY WERE STILL WORKING ON ROCKEFELLER CENTER.

AND THEN IT JUST BECAME -- >> CAUGHT THE IMAGINATION.

>> CAUGHT THE IMAGINATION AND BECAME A REGULAR TRADITION.

WE STARTED, I GOT INVOLVED WITH IT BACK IN 1983 WHEN I FIRST STARTED AT WNBC OR NEW YORK.

>> I WAS THERE WITH YOU.

>> AND IT WAS JUST LITERALLY LAST TWO OR THREE MINUTES, AND THEN IT BECAME FIVE MINUTES WITH ICE SKATERS AND KEPT EXPANDING BUT IT WAS STILL A LOCAL SPECIAL.

AND THEN ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, NBC SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS GREAT EVENT LITERALLY IN OUR BACKDOOR.

WHY DON'T WE BROADCAST THIS?

AND NOW HERE WE ARE 18 YEARS LATER, LOCALLY HERE IN NEW YORK, IT'S TWO HOUR EXTRAVAGANZA AND FOR SOME LOCAL STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY BUT FROM THE NETWORK'S STANDPOINT, IT'S THIS HOUR EXTRAVAGANZA THAT REALLY USHERS IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

>> AND IT'S BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT.

I WAS READING UP ON THIS AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THERE ARE TOURS ORGANIZED AROUND THE DELIGHTING OF THE TREE.

>> COMPLETELY.

THE THING I ALWAYS LOVED, BECAUSE THEY SHUTTLE US BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN DIFFERENT STAGES.

WE PASS AN AREA WHERE A FEW LOCAL RADIO STATIONS ARE BROADCASTING THE LIGHTING OF THE TREE.

THAT MUST LOOK FANTASTIC ON RADIO.

BUT I FIND THEY'RE ALSO SIMULCASTING ON THEIR WEB SITES BUT IT IS A TOURIST'S DESTINATION.

>> HOW DO THEY GET THESE TREES AND HOW BIG DO THEY GO?

>> IT'S A YEAR ROUND EFFORT.

BIGGEST ONE, SINCE I'VE BEEN DOING IT, ABOUT 85 FOOT NORWAY SPRUCE.

NO, 90 FOOT NORWAY SPRUCE BUT THEY LOOK ALL AROUND THE TRI-STATE AREA.

USUALLY EITHER CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, OR NEW JERSEY AND USUALLY IT'S A TREE THAT IS IN ITS FINAL STAGES OF LIFE AND IT WOULD COST THE FAMILY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REMOVED.

AND THE FOLKS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER DO THESE AERIAL TOURS AND THEN PEOPLE SEND IN SUGGESTIONS, PEOPLE THEMSELVES GRAB THE TREES THEMSELVES, SEND IN THE SUGGESTION AND THEY MAKE THOSE CHOICES.

AND THEN IT'S THIS WHOLE ENGINEERING.

>> I CAN'T IMAGINE.

PUTTING IT ON A FLATBED.

SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN FLOATED DOWN THE HUDSON RIVER.

THE CRANE COMPANY PUT THE THING UP.

IT'S AMAZING HOW FAST THEY GET THAT THING STANDING.

>> IT'S AMAZING.

THE LARGEST ONE WAS 100 FOOT LONG.

CAN'T MAKE IT LONGER THAN THAT BECAUSE OF THE SPEED.

YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED SINCE 1983 AND THE 18 YEARS.

DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE YEAR OR MEMORABLE MOMENT?

>> I REMEMBER ONE YEAR, SCOTT HAMILTON WAS ON THE ICE.

THIS IS WHEN WE HAD ICE SKATERS ON THE ICE AND IT WAS RAINING CATS AND DOGS.

AND WE THOUGHT, THERE'S NO WAY HE CAN GO ON.

HE CAN'T POSSIBLY PERFORM AND HE DID A TRIPLE SOMERSAULT IN THIS POURING RAIN.

THE WATER IS COMING OFF HIS SKATES AND WE WERE ALL LIKE, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS EVER.

AND PROBABLY FROM A SENTIMENTAL POINT OF VIEW, EMOTIONAL POINT OF VIEW, THERE WAS SOME TALK AFTER 9/11 WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT.

PUT THE TREE UP AND LIGHT IT, BUT WOULD THEY HAVE THE CEREMONY AND THEY DID.

FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH HELPED US LIGHT THE TREE AND IT WAS REALLY AN EMOTIONAL TIME.

>> ANY SURPRISES, I MEAN, IT'S A LIVE EVENT, AND I KNOW HOW THOSE THINGS GO.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, KNOCK ON WOOD OR METAL, SO FAR, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MAJOR SURPRISES.

WE'VE HAD SOME PERFORMERS BE LATE.

SOME PERFORMERS HAD A LITTLE TOO MUCH HOLIDAY CHEER, IF YOU WILL, BUT IT'S ALWAYS THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.

LATELY, AND AGAIN, NOT TO BEAT THE CLIMATE CHANGE DRUM, BUT IT'S BEEN WARMER IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

I MEAN, THE LAST FEW YEARS, I BASICALLY DID IT IN A SPORT COAT AND A SCARF.

SO IT'S BEEN, SOME NIGHTS, IT'S NOT FELT A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS BUT THAT TREE GETS LIT AND BOY, YOU ARE IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

>> WHICH GUESTS HAD TOO MUCH CHEER?

>> I CANNOT DO THIS.

THIS YEAR, WE HAVE JUSTIN BIEBER.

THE BRAXTON FAMILY.

ALL THE BRAXTON WOMEN AND THE GROUP PENTATONIX WILL BE PERFORMING, AND SIGNING UP PEOPLE AS WE SPEAK.

I NEVER GET TIRED OF DOING IT.

I'LL CO-HOST WITH MY TODAY SHOW FAMILY, MATT, SAVANNAH.

>> WE NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING YOU WITH THIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> MERRY CHRISTMAS.

FELIZ NAVIDAD.

HAPPY HANUKKAH.

AND FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US.

>>> 2.6 MILLION YEARS AGO, NEW YORK CITY LAY UNDER A SHEET OF ICE SO THICK, IT WOULD HAVE BURIED TODAY'S TALLEST SKYSCRAPER.

AS ABRUPTLY MELTED, SHAPED INTO THE UNIQUE LANDSCAPE TODAY.

MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY EVEN TAKE THEIR NAME FROM THE LEFTOVER ELEVATIONS BY THIS PHENOMENON.

FOREST HILLS, CROWN HEIGHTS AND PROSPECT HEIGHTS TO NAME JUST A FEW.

JOINING US NOW TO EXPLAIN JUST HOW THE ICE AGE SHAPED NEW YORK IS THE SCIENCE JOURNALIST AND SENIOR WRITER FOR THE "NEW YORK TIMES," WILLIAM J., WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

BILL, THE LAST ICE AGE BEGAN OVER 2.5 MILLION YEARS AGO, BUT IT BEGAN TO MELT ONLY 18,000 YEARS AGO.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO WHAT CAUSED THAT GLOBAL WARMING?

WHAT CAUSED THAT CLIMATE CHANGE?

DO WE KNOW?

>> THOSE, THEY HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION.

A COMPLEX PROBLEM.

IT'S EASIER IN SCIENCE TO DESCRIBE THAN EXPLAIN.

AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH ORBITAL ISSUES.

HOW IS IT TILTING, HOW MUCH SUNLIGHT FALLS ON THE PLANET AND VERY COMPLEX CYCLES, THEY'RE WORKING OUT BEAUTIFULLY AND MOST OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THAT BUT FACTORS, THEY STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IT'S A HOT RESEARCH TOPIC.

>> I ASK THIS BECAUSE TIME MAGAZINE JUST CAME OUT WITH AN ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT HOW ANTARCTIC ICE MELTING AT AN ALARMINGLY FAST RATE.

I WONDER IF SOME OF THE SAME FACTORS ARE INVOLVED OR IF IT'S JUST CARBON EMISSIONS.

>> IT'S A COMPLEX PROBLEM.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT OCEAN RISE.

IT'S A REAL ISSUE.

ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK.

BUT HOW LONG HAS THE OCEANS BEEN RISING?

SINCE THE END OF THAT ICE AGE.

18,000 YEARS AGO.

THE COAST USED TO BE WAY, WAY OUT THERE.

IT WAS ANOTHER 100 MILES BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OCEAN.

RISING FOR A LONG TIME.

>> HOW DID THE MELTING THAT BEGAN 18,000 YEARS AGO CREATE THE LANDSCAPE OF NEW YORK CITY AS WE KNOW IT TODAY?

>> WELL, THIS ENORMOUS GLACIER, YOU NAILED IT IN THE OPENING.

HUGE THING, HIGHER THAN THE FREEDOM TOWER.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

>> I KNOW, I WAS WALKING AROUND WITH A GEOLOGIST.

THIS WOULD HAVE COVERED THE FREEDOM TOWER.

I'M SLACK JAWED, LIKE, WOW.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

THESE GLACIERS DOWN HERE ACT LIKE CONVEYER BELTS.

THEY HAUL RUBBLES, PEBBLES, BOULDERS THOUSANDS OF MILES AND SOME OF THESE CAME FROM WAY UP STATE.

THESE GLACIERS STARTED IN CANADA.

AND THERE WAS A CONDUIT COMING DOWN FROM CANADA THAT WENT THROUGH LAKE CHAMPLAIN REGION DOWN THROUGH THE HUDSON RIVER GORGE RIGHT DOWN TO WHERE WE ARE AND THEN IT COMES AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE AT THE FRONT, THE LEADING EDGE OF WHERE THE GLACIER WAS IS A HILL.

A TERMINAL MARINE, AND THAT MARINE AS IT TURNS OUT WEAVES ITS WAY THROUGH QUEENS, BROOKLYN, STATEN ISLAND.

IT'S ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 200 FEET HIGH.

LO AND BEHOLD, YOU CAN SEE IT TODAY.

>> TELL US SOME OF THE PLACES THE WALLS ARE AND THEN WE CAN SEE IT TODAY.

>> THE WAY I GOT ON TO THIS STORY, I WAS ON TOP OF OUR ROOF ON 110th STREET PAST THE CATHEDRAL, AND OFF IN THE DISTANCE, I COULD SEE A LITTLE HILL AND I'D SEEN A MAP THE PREVIOUS DAY AND IT TURNED OUT THAT HILL THAT I'D BEEN LOOKING AT FOR A LONG TIME WAS PART OF THE TERMINAL MARINE AND YOU CAN SEE IT WHIPPING THROUGH ALL THESE BOROUGHS, OUTER BOROUGHS.

WHEN THE CITY WAS DEVELOPED, THE DEVELOPERS WENT FOR THE EASY THINGS FIRST.

THE FLAT LAND.

LET THAT BE EASY.

NOT ALL THIS WEIRD MIX OF ROCKS AND PEBBLES, WEIRD STUFF.

THEY DIDN'T USE THAT.

AS A RESULT, THIS TODAY IS A STRING OF PARKS, GOLF COURSES, CEMETERI CEMETERIES, REALLY OLD CEMETERIES.

GREENWOOD CEMETERY IN BROOKLYN, BATTLE HILL, THE HIGHEST POINT IN BROOKLYN IS PART OF THIS TER TERMINAL.

ONCE I STARTED GETTING ON THIS, MY WIFE SAID, I HOPE THIS IS SOON BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE IT BABBLING ON ANYMORE.

>> SOME OF THE NICEST PLACES IN NEW YORK.

PROSPECT HEIGHTS.

I CAN'T COMPLAIN.

>> BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED TREES.

AS YOU SAID IN THE OPENING, A LOT TAKE THEIR NAMES FROM THE WO WOODINESS, HILLINESS, BAY RIDGE, WHO KNEW.

>> AND ALSO SOMETHING, THINGS CALLED ERADICA LEFT.

>> THESE ARE BIG BOULDERS AND THEY GET DROPPED ALL OVER THE CITY, IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR THEM BUT LO AND BEHOLD, CENTRAL PARK HAS THESE THINGS AND THE CLUE IS THAT THEY TEND TO BE ROUNDED BECAUSE THEY GOT GROUND TO ROUND BY THESE GLACIERS.

>> LIKE LITTLE PEBBLES.

>> EXCEPT THEY'RE HUGE AND ALSO, THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THE LOCAL ROCK.

THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.

THEY CAME FROM 100 MILES UPSTATE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN AS THE GLACIERS MELTED, KERPLOP.

THE GEOLOGIST, THE EYES OF A VERY SMART GEOLOGIST, TO THEM, CENTRAL PARK IS AN ICE AGE MUSEUM.

THEY GO AROUND SAYING BING, BING, BING.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THE ARTICLE.

PLEASURE TO TALK ABOUT.

>> ABSOLUTELY MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.