Spatial–Temporal Dynamics of Public Infrastructure Service Inequality during Disasters

Infrastructure service inequality remains a critical challenge for disaster resilience, where vulnerable communities face disproportionate impacts from disasters. Preexisting infrastructure service disparities and socioeconomic inequalities perpetuate a growing resilience gap among communities, manifesting in prolonged service disruptions and diverging recovery trajectories. This research aims to understand the spatial-temporal dynamics of public infrastructure inequality in communities that have experienced recurrent major disasters. It focuses on analyzing 311 solid waste service requests in Lee County, Florida, at the census tract level during Hurricanes Irma and Ian. Using descriptive statistics and event studies with long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, we analyzed the temporal patterns of service demands. We then employed descriptive statistics and spatial autocorrelation to examine spatial variations in service demands and resolution times. Finally, we leveraged emerging hotspot analysis to uncover spatiotemporal trends in service demand patterns. The results show that: (1) temporally, Hurricanes Irma and Ian significantly influenced service request patterns over time, with Irma showing increased demands during recovery and Ian resulting in persistent lower-than-expected requests; (2) spatially, some inland, socially vulnerable, and high-risk areas, such as Lehigh Acres, experienced disproportionately higher service demands and longer resolution times, revealing the impact of geographic and community characteristics on service disparities; and (3) spatiotemporally, eastern regions of Lee County consistently showed higher or growing service demands compared with western areas, with these disparities intensifying during the hurricanes. Overall, these findings highlight how disasters impact the spatial and temporal patterns of infrastructure service disparities. Tailored resilience strategies that address both preexisting infrastructure inequalities and community-specific service demands are imperative for reducing these disparities and improving postdisaster recovery.