Subway Lines and Social Divides: Analyzing Transit Disparities in NYC’s Neighborhood

This study delves into the disparities in public transportation access across New York City’s neighborhoods, with a focus on subway transportation. Analyzing data from Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, the research employs a decision tree algorithm to assess the interplay of various factors – borough, race, car-free percentages, commute times, and median household incomes (both owned and rented properties). This methodological approach enables a nuanced understanding of how these variables collectively influence public transportation inequalities. Our findings reveal significant gaps in subway accessibility, particularly affecting lower-income and minority communities. In response, the study promotes a restorative approach to address issues of transportation justice. This includes implementing a dual strategy: an inter-neighborhood approach to lessen disparities across different neighborhoods, and an intra-neighborhood plan focused on narrowing the gaps within individual neighborhoods themselves. These recommendations are aimed at promoting transportation equity and ensuring a more inclusive urban mobility framework.