Assessing Vulnerability of Boston Public Transit to Sea Level Rise Using Lidar and Geographic Analysis

Keywords: Public transportation, mass transit, sea level rise, climate change, lidar, GIS, Boston
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Modern coastal cities are in danger of being impacted economically, demographically, and infrastructurally due to fluctuating climate patterns. Past research has shown that global climate change is leading to more extreme rain and storm events and an increase in tidal heights. Cities across the northeastern United States have an increased vulnerability of experiencing widespread flooding. Boston’s public transportation system is at particular risk of this, due to its low elevation. In this work, we generate a digital elevation model for the Kenmore/Back Bay area of Boston to determine the segments of bus and subway routes most likely to be inundated based on flood hazard data. This geographic area was chosen because of its proximity to the waterfront and the fact that it is home to vital transit links between inner Boston and its suburbs. Our findings show that transportation nodes near the Charles River are at risk of being affected by rising temperatures. The results also indicate that routes at lower elevations farther away from the waterfront, such as those near the Prudential Tunnel, should be similarly prioritized due to the possibility of excessive rainfall from hurricanes or tropical storms. Overall, approximately 15 percent of surveyed bus lines and 6 percent of surveyed subway lines are in danger of being affected by rising tides.