Ride, Sink, or Swim: Mapping Extreme Floods and the Burdens of Buses in Queens, NYC

Keywords: public transit, flooding, participatory data, new york city
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

New York City experiences many extreme flooding events. One of the worst was September 2023, when 9.8 inches of rain fell in a single day. For the low-elevation borough of Queens, where a majority of residents rely on public transit, the burdens of flooding are worsened by sparse subways and stranded cars. Therefore, buses are a critical mobility and safety tool during a weather emergency in Queens. This study looks at how flooding affects New York City bus performance and infrastructure, by incorporating metrics like bus delay data, precipitation records, and 311 reports. This study helps uncover how—and where—a multi-faceted climate event affects the daily life of Queens residents and how NYC buses keep on rolling amid our climate crisis.