Spatial Equity 2024: A Profoundly Unequal New York
Spatial Equity 2024: A Profoundly Unequal New York
By examining how New York City devotes the majority of its public space to cars rather than people, TA reveals profound inequities built into the streetscape.
Published February 27, 2024
Spatial Equity NYC — a groundbreaking data platform created by Transportation Alternatives (TA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — has been updated for 2024 with crucial new data layers and the ability to rank across State Senate and Assembly Districts, in addition to City Council districts and community boards. New layers include floodplains, sidewalk space, child asthma ER visits, serious traffic injuries, and pedestrian plazas as well as additional demographic data and map details.
By examining how New York City devotes the majority of its public space to cars rather than people, TA reveals profound inequities built into the streetscape. Simply put, public space — including streets, sidewalks, and green spaces — is restricted, used, and made unusable in a way that leads to different outcomes for different communities.
We uncovered four trends that point to a New York City unequal in public health, environmental resilience, and mobility:
Bus Commutes Are Significantly Longer for Low-Income, Black, and Latino Bus Riders. Dedicated Space for Buses is the Solution.
In the 10 lowest-income City Council districts, residents are 45% more likely to rely on the bus than the average district.
Flood Risk is Much Higher in Black Communities. Traffic-Calming Green Infrastructure Can Help.
In the 10 City Council districts with the most flooding, the share of Black residents is 32% higher than the average district.
The Future Congestion Pricing Zone is Polluted and Dangerous. Congestion Pricing Will Help.
The Assembly districts in the zone have 19% more air pollution and 26% more serious traffic injuries than the average district.
Fewer Pedestrian Plazas Have Been Built in the Communities Where the Most Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers Live.
Increasing Plaza Construction is the Answer.
Majority-Black Council districts have 40% fewer residents within walking distance of a plaza than the average district.
