Assessing spatial and racial equity of subway accessibility: Case study of New York City

Abstract

Enhancing the utility of public transportation through easy and equitable access has become one of the focal points in the pursuit of social justice goals. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of equitable access to the subway system in New York City (NYC) based on geography and race/ethnicity, shedding light on the complex relationship between transportation equity, racial diversity, and urban dynamics. New York City is selected as the case study due to its diverse demographic makeup, extensive public transportation system, and paucity of previous research on the racial justice dimensions of its subway system. Gravity index is employed to investigate the accessibility of the NYC subway system in terms of distance from stops and the frequency of service while equity is analyzed by Gini coefficients and Lorenz curves. To conduct this analysis, American Community Survey (ACS) data and The General Transit Feed Specifications (GTFS) are used. The findings reveal that accessibility to the subway system varies across New York City's outer boroughs, with Queens, the largest borough by area, notably standing out due to its limited availability of subway stations. Moreover, the study uncovers stark racial disparities in accessibility within boroughs, with the non-Hispanic Black community in Queens (which represents 17 % of the borough's population) facing a pronounced lack of easy access to subway stations. These insights underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy reforms to address the identified disparities. Policymakers and transportation planners should prioritize initiatives such as increasing subway infrastructure in underserved areas, improving the frequency of service, and enhancing connectivity to reduce racial and spatial inequities in subway accessibility.