Pilot explores how nature-based infrastructure can help protect New Yorkers from extreme heat and flooding
Green roof delivers on commitment made in Mayor and Governor’s Bus Action Plan
Green roof installed atop Brownsville bus shelter
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung today announced the installation of four innovative bus shelter roofs along Pitkin Avenue in Brownsville, testing new ways to make the busy commercial corridor cooler, more resilient and more comfortable for bus riders.
The project includes New York City’s first-ever green roof bus shelter, featuring native plants, grasses and wildflowers that add greenery, support native pollinators and help cool the bus stop. The green roof delivers on a commitment in Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service, Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul’s plan to deliver a world-class bus system for New Yorkers.
The pilot also includes three new heat-resilient roofs that use a low-cost, easily installed film to reflect sunlight and reduce temperatures around bus shelters.
“Climate change is already redefining what it means to live in New York City, and our response has to protect New Yorkers where they are, including at bus stops. We are turning everyday infrastructure into an opportunity to make our neighborhoods cooler, greener and more resilient,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This pilot in Brownsville will help us learn what works so we can bring those solutions to more New Yorkers, while making waiting for the bus safer and more comfortable.”
“New Yorkers deserve innovative climate solutions that meaningfully improve their day-to-day lives. The City is excited to kickstart an innovative bus shelter corridor pilot in Brownsville that will reduce heat, capture excess stormwater and make bus riders’ journeys safer and more comfortable,” said Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. “Realizing our vision of fast and free buses starts with improving the commuter experience, block by block. Over the next few weeks, we will work alongside community members and small businesses to understand what works and what can scale across the five boroughs to ensure no neighborhood is left behind.”
“We are excited to work with MOCEJ, Resilient Cities Catalyst and JCDecaux on these pilot installations to explore ways we can address rising temperatures and catch extra rainfall at bus shelters while making bus trips more comfortable for riders,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “As New York City sees hotter and wetter weather due to climate change, we must develop new ways of using green infrastructure to adapt.”
“As part of the Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service plan, we’re not only speeding buses up for riders, we’re also improving the entire bus experience,” said Elizabeth Adams, Senior Advisor for Fast and Free Buses for Mayor Mamdani. “That means adding more benches and shelter for shade and also addressing ways to cool down the bus stop and reduce extreme heat. Extreme heat kills hundreds of New Yorkers a year, and for too long our bus stops — where people can wait exposed for periods of time — have been overlooked in the climate crisis. Today’s announcement piloting NYC’s first-ever bus shelter green roof is an exciting step forward both for bus riders and a more resilient public space.”
In partnership with Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC) and the Pitkin Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), the pilot tests practical solutions to improve the passenger experience while addressing extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
The initiative is part of a broader partnership through RCC’s Small Business Climate Resilience Program to strengthen Pitkin Avenue as a more vibrant and climate-resilient commercial corridor. The program brings together streetscape improvements, targeted small business support and preparedness and community-centered public space activations to help businesses and communities prepare for extreme heat and flooding. Brownsville is among New York City’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.
Brownsville residents can learn more about the neighborhood improvements and share feedback by completing the community survey, available in English and Spanish. Responses will help inform next steps for these and other improvement projects in Brownsville.
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